We All Need To Heal
by DanH2010
Summary: Everyone in the Trevanion family needs to heal...but from what? AU Sequel to Life is Wild.
1. Where Are They Now?

**We All Need To Heal**

**A/N Part 2 of Life is Wild. Lets see what has happened with Danice since the last chapter…..**

* * *

Alice walked into her house pushing her phone in her pocket. The house didn't look at all like it had when she first arrived here almost 15 years ago. Since the fire and the subsequent rebuild many changes had happened, first was the kitchen, much more spacious allowing her room to cook and have friends over when she decided to make one of her famous meals. It also meant she wasn't tripping over people when she was cooking, always a plus when you had overactive kids around. The bed rooms again were much bigger with adjoining bathrooms and the living room and study were now side by side with doors between them.

The colour scheme was nice and neutral, something she and Danny had argued passionately about before they'd been married, he liked bold colours but she quite liked light ones that didn't try to blind you when you entered a room. Neutral seemed to be something they could agree on…..and after agreeing they always made up which was always a lot of fun! In the past they didn't really used to argue all that much, which in some ways was a shame but recently since he found out about her new film their arguments hadn't involved any making up at all!

"Danny!" she called remembering that she had very little time. Her plane left soon and she had to be on it. "I'm about to leave for the airport. Lily c'mere!"

"Mum I'm busy." floated from the direction of her daughters bedroom.

Alice wasn't fooled. Lily's definition of busy was talking on the phone. "Lily Trevanion!"

A door was yanked open and a young slim girl appeared in the doorway. She was identical to her mother in almost every way, including the scowl she was now wearing. She had her short black hair and blue eyes which were flashing fire, her height though she inherited from her dad. She was only twelve and she matched her mother. Lily gave her mum an exasperated sigh. "I am used to you going away to make a film you know. This isn't new!"

"I know but this time I'm in London, it's not like jumping in a car or a short flight."

"We talk through skype and I can visit you on the weekends….."

"No you can't." Alice told her sternly.

"Mum!" she moaned. "London sounds so cool..."

"I said no, I don't want you anywhere near London ok!"

"Just because La…."

"I mean it! End of discussion Lily!"

Lily tutted but didn't argue.

Alice looked around then at her watch. "C'mon Danny!" she whispered then looked at her daughter. "Anyway like I said no mum for a six to eight weeks."

"I'm twelve mum I don't really need you. My friends mum said she will take me to riding and I get picked up and dropped off for school." Lily shrugged. "I'm nearly independent already!"

"Ger real baby girl." and Alice kissed her cheek. "You'll be independent when you aren't nagging us for more pocket money!"

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Look Lil's about your dad…."

Lily crossed her arms and looked away mutinously. "Don't talk to me about him ok!"

"I was just saying how he could take you riding rather than your friends mum." Alice suggested.

"Why would he want to? I'm not the kid he wanted remember?"

"Lily he does want you he never said he didn't…"

"What so he acts like I'm invisible for fun? He never wants to do anything with me and I'm sick of being let down!" she shouted.

"Lily what happened hit him hard and he didn't know what to do. He still doesn't!" they both looked down the hallway to the direction of the only door closed in the hallway. As Alice looked at the door she was filled with a pain so intense her chest felt like it was on the verge of collapse.

"As long as he doesn't speak to me we will be fine!" Lily told her coldly.

"He has to talk to you, he's your dad!"

The child scoffed. "Are you sure mum? Isn't it someone else? Someone good, why do some people get good dad's and I get him! Can't it be someone who wants me?"

"Lil's…." Alice started when Danny walked in the house, noticed her and looked at his watch. "Shouldn't you be on your way to the airport?" a frown creasing his brow.

"I should be but my husband told me he'd drive me remember?"

Danny shook his head. "Sorry forgot."

"There's a surprise…." Lily muttered under her breath.

Alice shot her a look in warning.

"Alice I still can't believe you are going back there!" he told her heading for truck keys.

"It wasn't the place Danny! Staying away doesn't change a thing does it?"

"If I was you mum I'd cut your losses and divorce him." Lily whispered.

Danny heard it. "Room!" and pointd to a door.

Lily narrowed her eyes. "Make me father!"

"Now!"

"No."

Never had he thought that his daughter would be so much like her mother it would be like living with two of them! At the moment one was all he could handle. "You can forget about riding unless you do!" he warned.

She gave him a dark look. "I don't care!"

"Lily…." Alice said gently.

Lily sighed. "Fine!"

Alice kissed her daughter who twisted her face. "I'll call you ok?"

Lily gave her a smile so much like the way her dad used to smile in the past. "Sure thing mum." then she went to her room. Stopped and looked at her dad. "I only did it coz mum said to, not you!" and closed the door.

He clenched his fists and goraned loudly, completed it by glaring at his wife. "Thanks Alice!" he snapped.

"It isn't my fault she won't listen to you!"

"Yeah but you butting in…."

"Danny she wasn't going to back down, she'd as stubborn as you! You're daughter is just like you and you are always butting heads with her!"

"She's like you!" he retorted.

She checked her watch. "I don't have time, my flight….."

He made no move to reply and she wanted to scream. Her marriage hadn't been the same since that fateful day seven years ago. They'd had so many plans until then, they'd been trying for another child, were talking about expanding the surgery and the business and all of that had been put on hold, then forgotten as the tragedy slowly unfolded.

"Don't expect me to go there Alice!" his green eyes pain filled in their depths. "I won't!"

"Look are you taking me or not!" finally losing patience, cutting off his tangent, if he started to list the reasons why he wouldn't go to London then she'd never get on the damn plane!

"Yes." he said grudgingly. "Lil…."

Alice cut him off and put her hand on his arm. "Don't forget we still have Lily and she needs to know you love her!"

"Lily knows…."

"Lily thinks that you don't want her, she thinks the kid you love is La…."

Danny interrupted her. "I love Lily as much as…." he exhaled and closed his eyes unable to say the name. "Seven years and it still isn't any easier. Will it ever be easier Alice?" he whispered.

Alice ignored his question doubting as to whether she and Danny would ever get over this. "Spend time with Lily while I'm away. Be the dad I know you can be, be the dad you started out as."

He nodded and they shared a cold passionless kiss, it was better characterised as a touch.

"Be careful over there." he murmured touching her cheek gently.

She nodded. "Always am."

Te moment over he called his child "Lily!"

She appeared at the door. "You called father."

God he hated when she called him that and she knew it which is why she did it! He ignored it. "Come to the airport with me and your mum."

She made a face. "Do I have to?"

"Yes!" he told her sternly.

She exhaled disappeared onto her room and reappeared with a lemon jacket which matched her three quarter trousers and sunglasses in her other hand. Walked from the room and straight passed her dad without even acknowledging his presence.

Danny rubbed his face forcefully. He stomped form the house noisily.

Alice meanwhile stopped Lily by grabbing her wrist and looked her in the eye. "Give him a chance will you? Do you really want this relationship to continue? You get one dad Lil and that's it!"

"Yeah and the way he acts you'd think he only had one kid!" she snapped yanked her wrist away and walked down to the truck. She climbed in the back and back and began untangling her ear phones.

Alice looked at Danny and Lily as they sat with their backs to each other doing their separate jobs. Father and daughter had attitudes so similar that they were poles apart. Lily most of the time couldn't even look at the man who fathered her, the man who had been overjoyed on the day she was born.

How had life came to this? She'd woven so many dreams since the day Danny finally gave in and agreed they could marry, after the marriage a second later she was pregnant then five years later their perfect idyllic life began crumbling down. Lily only five at the time didn't really understand what had happened. Only that she had not only lost a sibling but she was starting to lose her daddy too and as the years stretched on the distance grew until Danny and his little girl shared nothing in common except their temper and the genes they both shared, and by Lily's earlier comments she didn't even want those! The car horn beeped.

"C'mon Alice you'll miss your flight!" he called.

Alice exhaled and closed the front door, her once dream house not what it used to be.

**A/N so there has been a loss in the family that Danny and Alice can't get over, its obviously a child...im just wondering what you think happened, and where, leave me your thoughts if you wish.  
Danny had a very strained relationhip with his daughter, danny thinking she like alice and alice thinking shes like Danny, his relationship with alice isn't the same either, wonder why hmmmmm :/ x**


	2. Lauren

The drive to the airport was long and almost physically painful, the only sound the monotonous droning of Lily's music as it beat steadily through her headphones. Neither Danny nor Alice had anything to say really, it was sad as both still loved the other as much as ever they just didn't know how to express it anymore. The kisses and cuddles they shared no more held the warmth from the past.

"Danny do you think we need marriage counselling?" Alice whispered so Lily didn't hear.

"No." he told her swiftly, tone brokering no room for argument.

"Then why are we like this then?"

"Like what? We share a bed. We share kisses, we tell each other I love you."

"We do and say the right things but..." She sighed. "It doesn't feel the same."

He glanced at her. "So you don't love me anymore then?"

"Danny you know I love you as much as ever, you shouldn't doubt it but since Lauren, I dunno we're just different. Do you…." she faltered. "Do you blame me?" she whispered.

His eyes met hers in the rear-view mirror. "Never." he promised without hesitation. "It has never entered my head to blame you."

Her throat was tight. "But it IS my fault, I took my eyes off her for a second, that was all!"

"Sweetheart…." he murmured.

And that was all it took for the tears to spill over her lashes and begin to flow steadily. That one word seemed to characterise what they used to have…..used to…..it wasn't like when they first met and it wasn't like when they first got married. It was like they were married in name only now, they shared nothing but a name and a bed.

"Do you have to upset mum before she leaves?" Lily asked angrily.

He glanced in the rear-view mirror and saw his wife's blue eyes eyeing him angrily in the form of his almost teenage daughter.

"Lil it wasn't him I just brought up some stuff…."

"You always stick up for him, when you know he doesn't deserve it!"

"Lily!" Danny spat angrily. "If you're just gonna berate me then why don't you sit quietly!"

"I hate you Danny you know that?!" Lily spat, "I HATE you with EVERYTHING inside me!" she yelled pushed her earphones in and returned to ignoring her parents.

Danny returned to driving his eyes duller than before if it was possible. His shoulders slumped like he was defeated.

"She doesn't mean it Danny." Alice said hand over his.

He glanced at her his gaze holding hers for only one second. "You always were a terrible liar you know."

* * *

Again silence reigned in the car and as they walked down the airstrip to where Alice was taking off. Danny and Alice once again shared a chaste kiss before she climbed on.

"Try!" she told both of them before the doors closed behind her. Danny stood by Lily's side and they waved as the plane began to move. As the plane sped down the runway Danny felt himself missing Alice already. Not only because he wouldn't be seeing the other half of his soul for another eight weeks but because she knew how to handle Lily's temper far better than he did! The plane disappeared into the distance leaving them alone on the runway.

"Well." he said deciding to take Alice's advice. "Do you want to go for pizza?"

Lily pinned him with a look. "I don't like pizza father! You should know that!"

"Ok then how about a burger and fries." hoping she hadn't turned vegetarian without telling him.

She smirked. "So what kind of burger do I like then father?"

"Um….cheese burger?" he'd seen her eat one….once.

"EEE ERRR, wrong! My favourite burger is chicken mayo with salad."

"Ok so I got it wrong, we'll go get you one." he told her.

"I don't want one."

Danny felt his teeth clench. "Will you at least help me Lily? I'm trying!"

"Only cause mum made you, tell me did she threaten to divorce you unless you started to try to act like a dad towards me? Well guess what you aren't my dad!"

"I am your dad Lily! That is something I know for sure!"

"No you aren't, you are my father. Just coz you made a kid doesn't make you a dad!"

He spun. "You don't turn thirteen for another couple of months so can you please turn off this teenage angst!"

"Oh so you remember when my birthday is….wait a minute of course you do!" she spat "Lauren….."

"My relationship with you has nothing to do with Lauren!" he seethed his temper starting to boil.

"It has EVERYTHING to do with her! Its coz of her I don't have a dad! I'm not the kid you want she is!" she shouted earning them looks from people in the hangar. "It isn't my fault what happened but I am suffering."

"Lil I know it isn't your fault, we can't change the past….." he went to touch her head but she jerked away.

"You would change it though wouldn't you?" her face contorted pure anger there. "Admit it! If you could you'd keep her and let me be gone and then you'd be happy!"

Danny's jaw dropped and he felt her words like swords though his chest. It was almost like she slapped him. He shook his head. "No….you…you don't…" he could see the truth of her statement shining in her eyes. "Lily angel you're my baby girl I'd never…."

She took a step away refusing to listen to his lies. "It's too late to act like you love me!" tears fell before she could stop them. "I already hate you and I'll never forgive you, ever!" she walked away from him towards the truck, climbed in and jammed on her music once again.

Danny watched her, she looked so much like her mum, more so when she was upset. It hurt to look at her in those times, knowing full well that nothing he could do would soothe her. He'd do anything to make this better, anything to make her believe that he loved her as much as her sister. He climbed in the truck beside her, she turned the other way and turned her music up louder. He exhaled, just like her mother.

* * *

Alice sat on the plane as it came in to land. She had flicked through the script again noting that it wasn't anything too hard. Same old, same old. No complicated dialogue just plain straightforward stuff. She had played a doctor a few years ago and that had been a challenge, acting like she knew what all that stuff meant. I mean as a vet she had a fair idea but it was different when it was an actual person with their spleen hanging out!

It was funny how her roles had changed. Time passed quickly, she had been married to Danny for thirteen years and they had a year long engagement before that. Her roles had gradually changed in that time from young adults to motherly roles, I mean in this film she had a teenage kid! Yeah she had a teenage kid in real life but it drove home that she wasn't getting any younger. To be fair she hadn't felt young in so long. Not since her child had been taken.

Her eyes drifted closed and an image of Lauren filled her mind. Lauren with her quick smile and high pitched laugh. She had been so small, dainty with green eyes and shoulder length brown hair the exact shade of her dad's where Lily was her image Lauren was Danny's and he had never recovered from losing her. He had even stayed in London longer after her disappearance looking for her. After a year he came home and gave up, their little girl had just disappeared without a trace…..and Alice felt the pain as intensely as the day she was taken.

The plane jolted as the wheels touched down and she grabbed her bag from the shelf ignoring the usher who had stood and waited on her. She had tried to tell him to relax, that it was a long flight and if she needed anything she could get it herself but he wouldn't hear it. The drawback of fame, people thinking you needed things done for you.

It was getting dark as she appeared at the doorway, she frowned when she saw people waiting there. "C'mon." she whispered and shook her head. She and Danny lived in relative peace and the paparazzi left them alone but every time she made a film people showed up when she was getting off the plane. She didn't even know how they knew she was flying, she always left preparation to the last minute! The people looking at her, grabbing at her always reminded her of her stalker, otherwise known as Alistair Murphy, she suppressed a shudder as his face filled her mind. She didn't think of him often but when she did it always gave her a cold sick feeling…. Blanking her mind she walked down the steps from the plane and the people were around her behind barriers. They started shouting her name. She rubbed her head hating this but it had to be done. She handed her bag to the man following her. "Carry that please."

He nodded and she pulled out a pen. One by one she smiled at people signing pictures and papers and carried on walking…one woman though made her stop. She was of moderate height, only slightly taller than her and had cold grey eyes underneath mousy brown hair. The eyes remained rooted on her and they made her skin crawl. She had to be in her mid thirties at least. She handed Alice some paper.

"Who is it to?" Alice asked

"Make it out to Lauren." she replied voice soft, the malice easy to hear.

Alice physically froze, pen in mid air and looked at her. "Excuse me?"

"Lauren, make it out to Lauren, she loves you."

Alice swallowed and continued staring, unsure as to whether this woman was goading her or not.

"Lauren is my daughter." she carried on. "Big green eyes. She couldn't be here right now, she's not well but I promised I'd get this for her. Do you need me to spell it?" the smile wide on her face.

"Um….no….I can….spell it." Alice's' heart pounding, mind spinning in circles.

The woman smiled evilly and lowered her voice. "I know." she gloated. "How is Lily by the way?"

"How do you know about….?" she and Danny had worked hard to ensure that Lily and Lauren were kept out of the papers, especially after what happened with Alistair. "Excuse me…." she tried to move on.

The woman put her hand on Alice's arm. "You'll find nothing is totally hidden if you search hard enough!"

Alice yanked her arm away and tried to move on.

"I'll send Lauren your love!" she called then laughed.

Alice turned glared and went to lunge for her but the woman had already moved backwards disappearing into the crowd. Alice moved on trying to push the interaction to the back of her mind, sometimes people knew more than she and Danny liked. They tried to keep the kids out of the public eye but photographs got out pretty easily due to facebook. I mean Lily had two facebooks one forher to use and one she didn't go on, being her daughter meant she got friends requests from people she didn't know wanting to know about Alice. Sad but true. Someon called her name so she set her mind, she had a job to do. She pasted on a smile and moved on to the next fan.

* * *

The woman returned to her car to the young girl sat slouching in the back.

"You see her?" the woman asked.

The girl shrugged. "You ready mum?" her voice soft.

"Soon." she nodded. "Are you ready?"

The girl shrugged again. "Whenever you are."

The woman climbed in the car and eyed the young girl in the back seat. She was small for her age and had green eyes and light brown hair. She looked nothing like the woman who sat in the front seat of the car, some might say she looked like her dad….

**A/N oooooo am i excited much for this fic? YES loads hence this chappie :D  
the question is, is that lauren or is it an imposter? and will alice even see her? and this mystery woman where does she fit into all of this? and the girl herself? hmmmm lots of questions need answers.  
Poor danny, alice and lily, more about lily in the next chapter  
PS should have somemoe Opp Att soon, i have half a chappie written i wasn't feeling the love last night as i was writing so i wrote this instead. I had an Opp Att inspiration earlier on so i just need to write it x**


	3. Skype

Danny sat at a computer screen looking at his wife.

"So how's things with Lily?" she asked.

"Well I'm still alive which is something." 5 days had passed since the airport incident and his daughter hadn't spoke to him at all, well except to remind him that he had to pick her up from riding lessons. Oh and to tell him she hated him. She was especially unhappy with him at the moment because he heard he mention to her friend that she was interested in acting lessons but she was worried how her mum would take it because she always kept her separate from that world. But it was something she really wanted to do. He had tried to talk to her about it and got accused of spying on her! He really couldn't win! "I don't know what to do Alice, I keep trying and I think it's just annoying her. I fully believe that somehow she ended up with some of your I want to kill Danny genes!"

Alice smiled.

"But seriously Alice you don't want to know how badly its going. She tells me she hates me every time I try to talk to her!"

"She doesn't hate you Danny, she's just mixed up. She needs you as much as I do. Remember what I was like when I went back to the UK hiding from you. That's her right now, hurting but still needing you."

He exhaled not convinced. "How's the movie?"

"We filmed one of the complicated scenes today, I fell off a ladder."

His eyes widened. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I was only three rungs up, it was slippy! This film is full of running, climbing and me being energetic! I'm keeping going by sheer willpower."

He smiled. "You never did tell me what its about."

She hadn't told him because she knew it would cause an argument.

"Well don't keep me in suspense! Or will I find out the same time as everyone else?" he joked.

He was going to find out eventually, all he had to do was google her name! "It's about a parent who's child is kidnapped and she goes after the people who took her."

She saw her husbands face harden and his eyes blacken. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Because I knew you would react like this!"

"Don't you think that subject is a little too close to home for us? I mean especially where you are filming!"

"I nearly rejected the film for exactly those reasons by why Danny? Ignoring the subject doesn't mean it didn't happen! And I read this film, she gets her daughter back and they live happily ever after and I know life isn't a film but it gave me hope that maybe one day we'll see Lauren again!"

He shook his head. "How could you do that? After all the pain we….."

"I know it hurts Danny, every day it hurts and we'll never get over it but we have a responsibility to Lily to at least try….."

"Try what? To forget Lauren existed? What about her in all of this huh?" he stood up sharply and walked away from the screen.

Alice scrubbed her face with her hands. Lily entered the room blouse open at the collar tie hanging on her shoulders. It always hit Alice how grown up she looked in her school uniform. He little girl was growing up fast, too fast. "Hi mum."

"Hi Lil's, how are you?"

She nodded. "Really good. Excited for riding tonight."

"How is riding going?"

"Brilliant, you know the last time you were here Rocky was being a pain, he's like a kitten now! I'm so chuffed."

Alice frowned. "You haven't rode him yet have you? Because I…"

Lily sat down and leaned back. "No no don't worry. Cory wouldn't let me when I mentioned it. He said I'm crazy!"

Alice was ready to agree, Lily wasn't afraid of anyone or anything. Alice had almost stopped the buying of Rocky because Lauren wanted to ride him. They bought Rocky for the foals he would have with Candy. No one rode Rock he had issues! The one time Cory tried he was thrown. Cory was her 19 year old nephew, tall with intense blue eyes and black hair he gelled into spikes he was his mothers pride and joy. Mandy had one wish, that Lily was older so they could set them up. But since Lily was far too young and saw Lily as a younger sister that stopped that.

"Aunt Mandy was at the stables the other day and saw Cory with his girlfriend. She wasn't happy! I don't think she likes Barbie much."

Alice's jaw dropped. "His girlfriends name is Barbie?"

Lily laughed. "Her proper name is Barbara put she prefers Barbie. What a freak!"

"So what happened with Mandy, why doesn't she like her?"

Lily looked around, leaned in closer to the screen and lowered her voice. "Well apparently Mandy saw Barbie kissing someone else and warned her to stay away from Cory."

Alice grimaced. God help Barbie of Mandy got to her, Mandy was fiercely protective of her son!

"Uncle Dave tried to talk to her but you know what Auntie Mand is like!"

Alice nodded. "I'd better talk to her, just for David's sake!" David was Mandy's husband, after moving to Mara Mandy had developed a love/hate relationship with David Mara's vet. They argued about everything, of course everyone knew what was happening except them. Much like what happened with Alice and Danny they slowly got to know each other and with some gentle nudging from Alice in the form of mixed up dates the love/hate turned into just love. Mandy was mixed up and torn for a while when she realised how she felt especially because of Andrew and was adamant that it wouldn't go anywhere and Alice was seriously worried for a while as Mandy was as stubborn as they come but somehow they worked all that out. Since their marriage nine years ago they had a little boy called Davy who was six. Mandy had fell pregnant around the time Lauren was taken and it had been so hard for Alice to be happy for her friend when her insides were burning at the loss of her child. She had been over the moon for her but it was still hard.

"You ok mum?" Lily asked. "Your face looked really sad for a minute."

Alice shook her head and gave her a brilliant smile. Not sad at all."

"How's the film? Is your co star hot?"

"Lils I'm happily married to your dad. I don't notice hot guys!"

"You're married not blind so spill!"

Alice laughed. Her twelve year old was acting like this already? God help her and Danny! "He is tall, tanned with brown eyes and dark hair. He's called Connor Lescott and he plays the police officer helping me in the film."

"And you kiss him?"

Alice exhaled. "On screen yes, it isn't real!"

"This is SO unfair. You get paid to kiss hot guys!"

"It isn't easy kissing someone in front of almost twenty people, even if he is hot! It's pretty hard actually!"

Lily leaned in. "So you do think he's good looking?"

"Ok yes, I'd be blind not to notice but I love your dad deeply, I don't want anyone but him!"

"I would if I was you." Lily muttered.

"You don't know your dad like I do. If you give him a chance you'll see he's a good guy."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "Conversation change time." and sat back. "Mu-um…" drew out the word in two syllables.

"Oh I recognise that mum, if you tried to buy another horse over the internet I'll strangle you!"

"Can I have acting lessons?"

Alice had been waiting for this, Lily was part of the drama group at school and they said she had a natural gift they also said it wasn't surprising considering who her mum was. Lily was always the lead in plays and she was really good, could cry on demand and just had this air about her. "When did you decide you wanted to be an actress?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while now and I dunno, it feels right to me."

It had felt right to Alice, until she came face to face with the dark side of fame! Once you're in it its hard to get out. "Lil it isn't always fun and games you know. You can't turn it off when you get sick of people staring at you. You have no idea how hard it is for me and your dad to keep you out of the spotlight. We have to plan everything well in advance."

"Is that a no?"

Alice looked at her daughters dejected face and remembered what it was like having a father who didn't support her dreams of being an actress. No doubt she had wore the same expression her daughter had. Did she want to be that person for her daughter? Someone who tried to hold her back? She relented. "We'll have a proper talk about this when I get back ok?"

Lily grinned.

"But only if you give your dad a chance!" Alice bargained.

Lily rolled her eyes and exhaled. "Forget I asked!"

"He loves you Lily!"

"No mum, he loves Lauren and is it any wonder? She is the double of him! I look like you, not that's a bad thing coz loads of people think you're gorgeous!"

Could it be that Lily was jealous of the fact that Danny seemed devoted to Lauren? Then again it made sense. "He doesn't love you and Lauren coz of how you look, he loves you coz you are his baby girl."

"Technically I'm the oldest she is younger than me."

"Twelve minutes barely makes a difference Lil's."

Lily frowned. "It feels odd having a twin out there I don't know." she admitted. "I barely remember who, just flashes of a blurry face sometimes. Will she ever come home do you think?"

It was the first time Lily had admitted she missed Lauren, she had been showing interest in her lately, what she was like, who she took after things like that. "it's been seven years Lil's. I don't think we'll ever see her again." and it killed Alice to admit that. She'd give anything to have her daughter with her.

Lily nodded sadly.

"So anyway give your dad a chance and you'll get those acting lessons ok! But a proper try, do it for me."

Lily grinned. "Bribery mum?"

"The question is, is it working?"

Lily grinned wider and Alice saw Danny dancing in her eyes. "Yes. I'll give him a chance. But only one and if he screws it up I'm not doing it again ok?"

"That's my girl. You better get ready for school and we'll talk again soon. Tell Cory I said hi and that I'll talk to his mum."

"Kay mum, love you."

"Love you too." then her mum reached forward and the screen went blank. Lily stared at it a moment then got up and headed for the kitchen. Saw her dad drinking coffee looking over his notes for the animal hospital. "What time do you want me to drop you off at the stables tonight?" he asked.

"Five." she began to tie her tie. "Do you ride?"

"You're mum took me before you were born." he smiled. "I fell off…..well sort of hung off. My foot in the stirrup, hanging on to the reins for dear life while this horse galloped off and I was hanging upside down! Your mum found the whole thing hilarious of course!"

Lily smiled. "I just wandered if maybe you wanted to come with me tonight. Just for a walk, not a gallop!" she assured. "I'll make sure you sit on angel." grinned playfully. "The kids ride her."

He raised his eyebrows. "Careful Lil's or you may never make it to the stables. Girls who work their dad's don't live long in these parts!"

Now that wasn't true the amount of lip she gave him recently. She tutted. "Whatever dad." a smile peeking through as she pulled her blazer on.

"You need any money for school?"

"Just for the shop."

He went in his wallet and handed her some notes.

"So will you go riding with me tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it."

There was a beep outside and Lily picked up her school bag which sat beside her bedroom door. "See you dad."

He waved.

(X)

Alice lay in bed staring at the ceiling. It was ten pm UK time so it'd be nine am at home. She wasn't quite acclimatised to the time difference yet so it meant during the day she wanted to sleep and at night she was wide awake. She wished she could sleep. It was during the darkness of night when her thoughts refused to leave her. It was easy to hide from them during the day when she was working or when she had things to do at home. But during the night in the silence of her room was when her darker thoughts plagued her. To chase them away she thought of happier times in her life, starting with her marriage to Danny.

Their wedding day had been magical. It had been a sunny cloudless day, they said their vows by a river at Mara that glittered in the sun. After that had been the party with fun and dancing, she and Danny had been unable to tear themselves away from the other. Every dance they held the other close and she thought she had never loved him more. She had attended weddings where the bride, groom or even both were nervous but it hadn't been like that for them. They just knew they were perfect for each other and that was why it was perfect, and the fact that they spent a year planning every last detail! She had became Mrs Trevanion and they spent their wedding night at Leopards Den flying off to Florida for their honeymoon the next day.

They had so much fun going out, her coaxing him into more dancing, eating out, scuba diving, swimming with dolphins. The morning she got back from their honeymoon she was ill and unbeknownst to them at the time it was morning sickness kicking in. They thought it was food poisoning at first as Danny had been ill after eating some bad Chinese food but she soon realised it wasn't that when a few days later it was still with her. By then they both suspected what it was and a pregnancy test confirmed it. They'd had a scan to date the pregnancy and she found out she wasn't pregnant with one child but two. Ok yes she had told Danny to be ready for their wedding night but twins? He had outdone himself!

Danny had been over the moon. He couldn't wait to be a daddy. He went out with no argument at 3am when her cravings kept her awake at night. Driving around to find a store which stocked marmite. He gave her back rubs and foot massages when she was so stiff she couldn't move and towards the end he never left her side. Every scan, every kick, every moment he was there and she'd never seen a man so happy then on the day the girls were born, every day after that just got better. They had thought nothing could spoil their life. It was almost perfect until…..an alarm jerked Alice out of sleep. She rubbed her head yawning. Not feeling like she'd been asleep at all. Still Alice rose from the bed and picked up her towel and padded off to the shower. She'd love to go back to bed but she had work to do!

**A/N filler really BUT you found out that Lauren is actually Lily's twin...more coming there and Lily is going riding with Danny tonight...hmmmmm how will that go? x**


	4. Riding

Danny sat in the car concentrating on the road while Lily sat beside him texting furiously, her fingers flying so quick they were a blur.

"Someone you like?" he asked. Please not a boy, he was hoping for a year or two of peace before he had to threaten amorous boys who wanted his daughter, I mean she was the double of her mother so there would no doubt be enough of them. He was going to have to rope Cory in….and maybe ask a few lions for help too!

"Na." pushed a button which made her phone vibrate. "No one special, just a school friend."

"The message seemed kinda long for no one special."

She shrugged. "Some girl asking me if my biology partner liked her, talked about her, looked at her, knew she existed…" she gestured so on.

"Is your biology partner a boy?"

She nodded, "Kinda cute too, we're doing about human reproduction. We're doing a practical next week."

Danny slammed on the breaks. "What?" he squeaked. "Practical what?"

Lily cracked up, unable to breathe she was laughing so hard, "I tried this one on mum and she didn't fall for it!" wiped tears from her eyes. "Your face!"

He looked at her eyebrows raised. "Demon child."

"Comes from my demon dad according to mum!"

He made a face at her and restarted the car. Her phone jingled and she returned to it. "Meg go away." she muttered and pushed her phone in her pocket.

"So how is school going?" he asked.

"It's school." she replied dryly thens shrugged. "We had drama today, we're doing another play and my name is top of the list for the lead."

His smile was wide. "Again? You got your acting genes from your mum."

"I've been told." she nodded.

"And PE was good too. We had tennis." she smiled to herself. "I have a bit of a reputation. I have a hard shot and I really wanted to win this girl coz she keeps saying snide stuff to me about mum so I sort of wound my arm back as far as I could, like I was gonna whack it and she ran!"

"She ran?" he chuckled.

"Mmm hmm, then I tapped it over the net. She wasn't amused!"

"Why were they scared anyway?"

"Well the last time I did that I mishit the ball and if the girl hadn't ducked in time it would have been her face. Then the other time I hit it, it hit a wall and smacked another girl in the back of her head."

Danny saw Lily's oops face in the mirror and it warmed him that this seemed so natural rather than stilted.

"The teachers told me to be careful after I hit the girl, but to be fair she was acting like she had concussion! She only wants the lead in the play but everyone knows its mine! She tried too hard to make her act seem real but it seems to me the part comes from inside you, if you have to try then it isn't real." she saw her dad staring and a blush tinged her cheeks. "I said too much huh?"

"Not at all." he breathed. "You just sounded so grown up there."

"Try telling my teachers I'm grown up." she told him swiftly changing the subject. "There's this one teacher who keeps calling me Lillian! I replied that my name was Lily, but I drew it out and she gave me detention!"

The outrage in her voice was impossible to miss. "Lesson number one for school, teachers frown on when you talk to them like they are stupid!"

"Were you ever in trouble at school?"

"Never, I was just the kid who sat at the back quietly." he admitted.

"Bet mum was." Lily smiled. "Her and Auntie Mand strike me as the type."

He nodded in agreement. "They are!"

"So what have you been up to today?" she asked.

"Couple of minor surgeries, after that my diary was clear so I went for a pedicure."

Lily froze and her eyes moved to meet his, her expression one if incredulity. He was reminded of the time Alice ribbed him because he said he used bath crystals.

"Hey guys can have pedicures you know!"

"No dad, they REALLY can't!" she stressed.

Danny made a considering face. "Guess it's a good thing that I'm married to your mum then."

Lily was shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "You didn't really have a pedicure did you dad?"

He laughed enjoying getting his own back, if only a little bit. "Of course now, I'm far too macho!"

"Macho isn't a word I would associate with you dad!"

He used his free hand to grab and tickle the back of her neck like he'd done when she was little. She squirmed and wriggled trying to escape. "Dad, no!" she laughed. "Stop." she managed to get his hand away and hit his arm. "No embarrassing me at the stables dad. I already banned mum from getting out of the car and I'll do it to you too."

"You banned your mum from getting out of the car?"

"She kept calling me Lilypie and Lilypad in front of my friends!" she moaned. "I mean it, I'll lock you in!" grinned cockily. "I did that to mum too!"

"You locked her in the car?" Why didn't he know this stuff? He thought he and Alice shared everything.

"Yeah I took her keys, not my best idea, I had to let he rout to give them back so she'd drive away! She told me if she had to climb out of the window she was gonna kill me! I think she meant it too so I gave in."

He was laughing harder. "It's all in the planning, next time you'll do better."

"Next time? No way! Mum said if I did it again I could say goodbye to my phone!"

You know Lils when I was your age we didn't have mobile phones, we actually had to talk to each other and instead of texting we wrote letters, with a pen and paper."

"Yeah well dad we all weren't born in the stone age." she retorted quickly.

He shook his head. "You really are your mothers daughter, you're quick off the mark like she is. When your mum and I first met she did that to me all the time. I wanted to strangle her….." smiled wistfully.

"You and mum did that? Really?" sat up straighter in her seat interested. Her parents didn't talk about before she was born.

He nodded. "This one time really sticks out in my mind, the pilot light had went out on the boiler. This was before the house was modernised," he lied. "And your mum needed me to light it. But at the time me and your mum weren't on the best terms. She asked but she had missed out the word please. I knew it would kill her to ask me nicely so I reminded her that she missed out that little P word and you know what she said?"

Lily shook her head.

He grinned. "She called me a prat!"

Lily's whole face lit up. "Mum said that?" laughed raucously. "I might use that one. There's this boy at school….." she shook her head. "I could kill him!"

Danny felt a little sick. That is how it often started, with a line like there's this boy! And if she was anything like her mum than wanting to kill him was akin to a decleration of love! I mean that story was almost his and Alice's, he remembered all to well hiding from her at Fatani's trying to deny he liked her! And Alice used to threaten to kill him on a daily basis! "What's his name?" he asked conversationally.

Lily looked at him seeing right through the façade. "This isn't a love/hate thing dad, I'm twelve. This is pretty much hate! Anyway so what happened after mum called you a prat?"

"Well I refused to light it until she said please." he smiled in memory. "The way she said it was like the word was like the word tasted foul. It was forced, please!" he growled short and clipped. "I replied that saying that must have almost choked her, if I'd been a lesser man the look she gave me would have made me drop dead!"

Lily looked out at the passing foliage. "Wow, you and mum were really like that?" she wondered. She had always thought that her mum and dad being as close as they were would have been this intense love at first sight kind of thing. "How did you meet? Did you like her, is that why you argued? Was it love at first sight but refusing to admit it?"

He shook his head. "I met her because she came to do a film at Mara but it got moved to Leopards Den and she ended up living with me, even thought she was supposed to be at Mara."

"Mum pulled rank on you?"

"Not quite." not elaborating. "And we didn't always love each other, we sparred a lot each trying to out do the other. I think you could say there was an attraction there but definitely not love at first sight. She actually threatened to kill me at least once a day that carried on until…." he frowned. "Until you were five."

"Until Lauren?" she asked testing him.

He nodded needing to move on. "Anyway she hated me, I hated her and we tried to tolerate each other. As time passed we realised that we didn't hate each other as we thought, but we still weren't pals then we didn't know it but something just grew in spite of the way we acted."

Lily was surprised! Her dad instead of talking about Lauren, which he usually did when she was mentioned just continued about what they had been talking about.

"Why did you hate each other so much?" she asked, their story was like a film! It wasn't straight forward like other parents meeting at work or a bar or Uni or something.

"We didn't have the best introduction, I mean I am sure she loved me when she first clapped eyes on me!"

Lily rolled her eyes.

"But I was angry about some past stuff and ended up calling her stuck up and a prima Donna which didn't go down well believe me. But like I said she ended up living with me which I was angry about!"

"Why?"

"Well I didn't like women very much I'd been married before your mum and she left and I was hurt."

Lily's eyes widened so much they almost filled her face. "You were married before mum?"

He nodded. "Anyway back to me and your mum, she told me she was moving in and I had no choice in the matter, after a few arguments we finally made peace, got closer, fell in love got married, had you and now I am taking you riding." Lily knew nothing of her mums stalker and the fire an they were keeping it that way!

"Why haven't you and mum told me about this before?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, we don't talk about that time much." it held too many bad memories.

"But why? You should talk about it more. It's how you fell in love!"

Yeah but there was so much more than that too. There was the anger, the feelings of betrayal, the tears, the fire and him thinking she was dead. He had painted a nice rosy picture for Lily but it was a wonder how they even got here! Both he and Alice seemed intent to ruin it and never mind Alistair Murphy her stalker! He never wanted to go through that again…..he had thought he wouldn't, until Lauren. He stopped thinking like that, this was Lily's time. Finally saw the sign indicating they arrived at the stables. He turned in driving slowly. He saw the curious looks he received from the people who were greeting Lily.

"I should have come here before." he said climbing from the car. Guilt filling him when he began to realise how much of her life he had missed out on.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because no one here knows me and I'm your dad!"

She shook her head. "You were busy and mum didn't mind."

"But I mind! This is obviously important to you and you are important to me!"

Lily stared up at her dad at a loss for what to say. She cleared her throat and directed him to a stable. "This is where Candy is kept." picked up two brushes and handed one to him. "Candy is my horse" rubbing her nose affectionately as she passed. "Mum had bought Rocky too but I'm not allowed to ride him. He's a bad boy." she smiled "I like him! Hopefully Candy will too."

"You mean Candy and Rocky will…." he didn't finish.

"Yes dad." and rolled her eyes at his horrified reaction. "I do know about the birds and the bees. When the girl horse and the boy horse love each other very much, and get married of course they have a baby horse called a foal and bring the baby up together making sure to never scar it for life by trying to talk about a sexual relationship, you get me?"

He nodded quickly.

"Thanks!" she breathed. "Anyway you brush that side and I'll do this side, not too hard in the direction of her hair. Long smooth strokes." her voice lowering as she moved her brush. She spoke to her horse as she brushed eyes alight and animated. Danny watched, she was a complete natural.

"She has more hair than that you know dad." she told him.

He smiled wryly, he'd been lost in thought staring at her. He slowly brushed the animal, reached the back and walked to her.

"Dad you don't….."

Danny now directly behind the animal looked at her, the horse raised one of its legs and kicked back. Unfortunately in the position he stood he was in the prime position to get hit where it hurts. Thankfully he realised and jumped back with surprising agility, she still caught him briefly thankfully not connecting fully. It still made Danny hit the floor and black out.

Lily moved Candy clear then went to her dad and knelt down. "Dad?"

"Oh my god!" he squeaked as his vision cleared. He was looking up at his daughter.

"Dad you never go behind a horse, you're a vet you should know that!"

He nodded having learnt a painful lesson, He really hoped Alice didn't have her heart set on any more kids, he wasn't sure he was capable anymore!

"Are you ok?"

He nodded sat up and winced. "I just need to sit here for a while." maybe an hour he added silently.

She got up. "I'll go get Cory."

"Lil's…" but his request when unanswered as she had already walked off. Cory appeared minutes later. Danny was still grimacing.

"Hi Danny."

Danny grunted in reply.

"Candy got you huh? She has uncanny aim, she has taken many a man down!"

Danny may have laughed had his family jewels not been throbbing.

"The last man who got hit there had to have corrective surgery…" Cory mused.

Danny looked at him. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I wish I was! You might want to go and check if you know what I mean. I sent Lily away. I don't think she'll want to see her dad cry!"

"Give me a hand up will you?" Danny asked.

Corry offered a hand and helped lift Danny until he was in a sort of, upright position.

"Jeez!" Danny groaned then hobbled off to the men's by the stables. He returned looking visibly relieved.

"Good news I take it?" Cory laughed.

Danny nodded. "Candy didn't connect properly, she only caught me slightly thank god! Still bloody hurts though!"

Cory glanced out of the window as a streak of colour passed. Danny looked too and saw a young girl on a horse coaxing it into a slow canter…..but that couldn't be his daughter. She looked so confident with the animal, her back straight guiding the horse around. He walked outside almost in a trance all previous pain forgotten. He stood at a fence and watched her as she and another girl galloped around Lily started laughing at something her friend said. Danny was transfixed, seeing her there with her black riding helmet, her smile, wide and genuine looking so much like her mum he couldn't quite it! He also couldn't believe he had been willing to miss this, he was literally unable to tear his eyes away. Lily finally noticed him and became self conscious. Walked her horse over then climbed down patted her horses neck and gave her some carrot she kept in her pocket.

"So that's why that's in there, I remember washing your jodhpurs a few times and finding carrot and wondering whether you kept it there as a snack."

Lily smiled. "Nope, its for my little Candy cane." and kissed her horse.

"Candy pain more like!" Danny muttered.

"Do you still feel ok to go out on a horse, just in the field out back."

"Definitely!"

"Dad….it might….you….. Cory you tell him, for me it's just weird!"

"You'll be tender." Cory supplied.

"Oh!" realisation dawned and he felt the throbbing return slightly but dismissed it. "I don't care, it'll be fine." he promised.

"Really?" she was enjoying this time with her dad.

"Let's saddle up."

Lily put her saddle on Candy then she and Cory discussed there best horse for Danny to have seeing as he was a beginner. All Danny cared about was a horse that wasn't going to gallop off. They found an old mare named Lucy that seemed perfect. They climbed on and off they went. Danny was a nervous wreck holding on tight but not Lily, she and her horse were like one, totally in tune with each other. She seemed to nudge her legs and the horse moved.

"So about acting lessons." he started.

"Mum said we'd talk about them when she got back, but only if I gave you a chance."

Danny deflated, she was only doing this for her lessons.

"I'm surprised to say its nice being able to talk to you. You're different to what I thought." looked at him. "it was nice learning about you and mum too."

His spirits rose slightly.

"Don't you want to be a professional rider when you're older?"

She shook her head. "I'm not good enough and I think I'll be too tall. Thanks to you." she told him playfully.

"Blame your mum, its not my fault my genes are more dominant that hers."

Lily snorted, "Yeah and that's why I look so much like you!"

Danny smiled. "Touché."

They rode on chatting about inconsequential things when they reached a river. Lily hopped from her horse and led it to the river to drink, took a long drink of her own canteen. Lily watched her dad climb down and smiled when his gait was funny.

"You don't ride often, look at the way you're walking."

"It's like John Wayne!" he told her.

"Who's John Wayne?"

"You don't know John Wayne?" he gaped. "Wait til I get you home, me and you are gonna watch a few films!"

"Really?" she asked excitedly.

He'd only been joking. "If you want to I'm up for it."

She shrugged pretending not to care.

They approached the river and sat down. Lily pondering how to approach a subject that had been playing on her mind. Danny picked up a few stones and tried to make them skip the river.

"The trick is to put some spin on it." he told her. Threw one and it sunk.

"You really miss her huh?" Lily asked moving closer to him taking a few stones.

He smiled. "I always miss your mum when she's away making a film." threw a stone that one sunk too.

"I meant Lauren." she replied inspecting her stones intently.

He looked at her sideways. "I know." he whispered then nodded. "Yeah I do."

Lily frowned. "I feel like I should miss her…." threw a rock in the direction of the river. "But I feel nothing for her. Sometimes I have nightmares about her and I wake up feeling so ill with guilt because….." she shrugged ad threw another and exhaled the words not coming.

"You don't remember her sweetie." and patted her shoulder.

"But she's my twin! She's part of me! We are supposed to have that connection, you know I get hurt and she feels it kind of thing. How can that be true if she isn't here?" threw the rest of her stones in the river. They landed with a chorus of plops.

"You did have that, you two used to communicate from across rooms without saying a single word! Scared the hell out of me and your mum. You would look at Lauren and she'd nod and then you'd both walk out of the room leaving me ad your mum wondering what had just happened! Then later you'd have done something, like the time you played tea parties with your mums set and broke every piece and I found you." He was lost in a memory. "You had this way of smiling at me, you gave me that smile, in your own little way and I couldn't tell you off. You had me wrapped around your little finger." he smiled sadly. "You both soon worked out that to get out of it smile at daddy. My two little girls." he whispered pain lancing his heart.

"Mum musta been angry about us having you wrapped around our little finger?"

"You more than Lauren." he admitted.

"Me?"

"Don't get me wrong I love both of you the same but…." his throat grew tight and he felt like some one was choking him. He jerked his neck and when it didn't clear he knew he couldn't talk about this.

"But?" Lily asked wanting to hear the end of the sentence.

He stood up and threw his rocks in the river. "We need to go back." his voice cold and detached.

"Dad?" she had no idea what had changed so suddenly.

"Now Lily!" he ordered.

Hurt flew across his daughters face quickly before it was replaced by a mutinous expression. "Fine! Father!" she spat and stalked over to her horse, climbed on and began to move.

He too climbed on and they made their trek back to the stables.

**A/N poor lily :( she and Danny were getting along so well they were so cute at the river with their stones and he goes and ruins it! GRRRRR! They are so alike in temperment and their sense of humour too espically when she said with the practial reproduction lol...more soon next chappie x**


	5. Absolution

Danny was in the study head rested on one of his hands talking to Alice that night. He and Lily hadn't said a word since their return from the stables.

"I went riding today with Lily." he murmured after giving her a quick update on all the surgery, things at home.

"Did you?" she asked with a smile. "Did you fall off like you did when you went with me?"

He shrugged. "Well a horse with uncanny aim nearly managed to cripple me with a well aimed kick to lower section."

Alice's eyes bugged. "Does it hurt much?"

"You mean apart from when I breathe?" he practically gasped.

She noticed he didn'y mention how it went with their daughter. "Don't tell me it went badly with Lily?" she asked at his generally down demeanour.

"It was great at first, we talked properly for the first time, I think ever. We were laughing and joking and I saw myself in her you know? We did things we'd never done before and I started to wonder why. I mean I have this brilliant kid and I spend no time at all with her….."

Alice smiled at the unrestrained happiness in his face, her eyes shined too, was her family mending?

"Then Lauren came up…." he whispered the happiness fading and his eyes becoming dull again. "She was asking stuff about when they were younger and….." he pressed his fingers to his eyes.

Alice rolled her eyes and shook her head, she knew exactly what happened by his expression. "Danny you have to stop feeling guilty about that!"

He came alive suddenly. "How? I live with it every single day!" once again the fight seemed to drain out of him. The same way the energy and vitality seemed to disappear when he confided in her what his problem was. No matter what she said he done he'd never forgive himself. What he needed was Lily to say it was alright…..but at this rate they would never be able to talk long enough to give her dad the absolution he so desperately needed. "How come you don't hate me too Alice?"

"Danny talk to your daughter, you need this and she needs to know!"

He shook his head. "She'll hate me more than she already does!"

"No she won't!" he assured. "I don't and you keep saying she is like me."

"You keep saying she is like me and if she is than I know she'll hate me and I can't take that chance. At the moment there is still a chance of us having some sort of father daughter relationship if I tell her then, what happens if she washes her hands of me. I can't lose my little girl Alice."

Alice exhaled, and that is why Danny would likely would never tell Lily. He doted on her, always had. Even though Lily claimed he ignored her he knew every little thing she took part in, he may never take part in her life actively but he was always aware and in the background in the small and large events in her life.

"Anyway how are things on your end?" he asked letting her know that there was no way this conversation was continuing and with Lily within listening distance maybe that was best.

"It's good, nothing major has happened really, just normal. I learn my lines, go to work then I finish. I really miss you and Lily though."

He could see how much by her face. It had been a while since they had been apart, Alice spending time at home for the last few years apart from a few theatre parts. "I miss you too sweetheart, but it won't be for much longer."

Yeah but when she went home they would return to their half life where the love and passion which used to burn between them was gone and they simply existed. The love was there, she could feel it sometimes when he was looking at her intensely and his eyes the windows to his soul told her every time she looked into them but somehow they had lost the very thing that made them so strong. "You gave any thought to what I suggested before I left?"

"What did you suggest?" he asked perplexed.

"Marriage counselling?" she squeaked.

A myriad of emotions crossed his face and it was closed off. "Are we in trouble?" he asked coldly. "Is there any fear of us splitting up? Is that what you are subtly trying to say?"

"Danny this isn't me saying that but look at the way we live! What happened to the fire in you? What happened to sparring with me? What happened to making my head spin? What happened to chasing me around the surgery just because it was a laugh!"

"We have a daughter who is impressionable, we can't act like that in front of her!" and crossed his arms.

"I didn't suggest that Danny, we do have time alone you know!

"We grew up Alice! It isn't always going to be like when we first met."

"Why?" she challenged. "If we still love each other than why can't we act like we just met for the rest of our lives!"

"Because you can't!"

"I'm sick of living like your bloody sister instead of your wife!"

He raised his eyebrows and leaned forward. "So that is how you see us then?"

"Of course not." she relented. "But you have to admit something is missing."

His face hardened further. "Great choice of phrasing Alice." he hissed.

"That is you all over Danny! Your whole world revolves around losing Lauren! I understand the burning pain you feel, I'm the only one who can possible know exactly what you are going through, she's my daughter too but I'm sick of you basing our whole life on her being missing instead of celebrating the time she had here with us! We have Lily, she is twelve and she was too scared of mentioning Lauren to us. She deserves to know her twin Danny! We'll never get over losing her and the pain will never fade but we need to try and…..not move on but come to terms with…." she exhaled unable to say it.

"So what you are saying is we should forget her?" he was hurting at her words and was hitting out to hurt back.

"No!" she yelled.

"Well that's what I'm hearing! What do we do Alice? Have a little holiday then come home and erase all proof she was ever here. Should I start now in her room? Get rid of all her little toys?"

Alice stood up suddenly and stalked away from the screen. He saw the screen wobble as a door slammed on her end.

He closed his eyes as pain filled his chest then he got up too…..

* * *

Lily stood in the hallway, could hear her parents talking softly. She headed for the bathroom and found herself halting at a room which held the name Lauren in crooked wooden letters. She had the same sign on her door but hers was multicoloured, each letter different with a flower at the end. Lauren had a sun. Lily raised her hnd and touched the door just above Lauren's name and saw the painy was slightly different colour. This had been her room too once long ago, she remembered faintly having to stay in her mum's room as she hadn't ever spent a day in her bedroom alone in her life. Eventually her mum had gave her an entirely new room and this one was left until the day Lauren came home…..she never did and it sorta just stood here, as a shrine to a child Lily didn't know.

She clasped the door handle finding it strangely cold. As the door swung open she was struck by the brightness of the room. There were two beds stripped of their bedding but they were princess style beds with canopy's. There was a massive dolls house in the middle of the room, she was taken back to sitting in front of it with another little girl playing. She scrunched her eyes closed and tried to hang on to the memory but it became vague and indistinct, she didn't even see the girls face, just the side of her head. Tears filled her eyes and she breathed controlling them like she did in drama.

Among the things she mentioned there was the usual items wardrobe drawers, TV, toys of all kinds, in the middle of one of the beds by the head board lay a small white and pink teddy. She recognised it immediately, she had the same one on her bedside cabinet. She walked in and retrieved it. She felt the weight of it in her hand and it felt different to her own, kind of like it had lost its twin like she had. She left the room and took it and went to her room. After closing the door Lily picked up her own and sat them side by side, found herself kneeling in front of the bears.

"What's it like?" she whispered to them. "To have her back? Do you feel different?" she asked her bear. When no answer was forthcoming she nodded to herself and began to study her room. One bed in here, no need to share a bathroom like she used to, she had her own room, her own space, her own life and she hated it. As time passed she began to become aware that something was missing inside her. The older she became the bigger the chasm was.

A knock to her door broke her musings. It opened and her dad was stood there. He looked at her kneeling in front of the bears, both of them. Seeing them together affected him momentarily.

"Your mum is um….you can talk to her." his eyes never leaving the bears.

She stood up, gave him a dark look then sailed passed him making sure to close the door to her room.

He watched her walk into the study and Alice must have returned as he heard her greeting her mum. He immediately walked into her room and looked at the bears on the bedside cabinet. She had positioned them side by side. He picked up Lily's first, worn and faded from the extra seven years of use and Lauren's faded too from lack of love.

That previous thought hit him hard in the chest., Alice's words running in circles in his mind. He had to tell her, he was alienating her as it was and chances were if they stayed like this he would lose her completely…but still… he kept the bears in his hand and headed for the kitchen. As he passed the study he heard Lily's voice as she spoke to her mum. He could hear the raw pain in her shuddering voice and knew if he could see her she would be crying. He stood in the hallway.

"…..I don't understand mum. He was so normal one minute then the next he was horrible to me." she sniffed and he heard her grab a tissue.

"Lil's….."

"I knew he loved Lauren more than me. We were fine until he started talking about her. I want to know about her but how do I ask him without it becoming an issue! Can we talk when you get home, I've had enough of trying with him."

"Lil's losing her hit your dad hard….for more reasons than you know."

"That isn't my fault!"

"I know but….." she exhaled unable to explain without telling her the issue. "Until he tells you then you won't understand but I guarantee if you do find out then you'll know why he acts the way he does."

"If? Isn't he planning on telling me. If its that important I deserve to know!"

"He will tell you when he's ready."

"Why can't you?"

"Because it isn't my place Lily."

Danny found himself appearing in the doorway. "Lily come to the kitchen I need to talk to you."

"Mum and I are talking!" she snapped her eyes rooted on her mums face.

"I'll call you later Lil's, love you." and the screen went blank.

Lily nodded then turned. "I'm going to bed.

"Come to the kitchen please."

"Are you telling me to?"

He shook his head.

"Well I am going to bed!"

"I don't want to do this Lily I'm going to finish what we started by the river."

"So you're gonna be all horrible again? No thanks father!"

"Lily please." he gave her a beseeching look then walked to the kitchen leaving it up to her.

Lily sighed and stared at the empty hallway determined that no he had his chance and he blew it….but her mother telling her that when he dad explained something to her would make everything clear…..if only to assuage her curiosity she got up and headed for the kitchen. Immediately saw her dad sat with both pink bears, one in each hand and they were facing each other. His head was bowed and he looked like he was almost physically pained.

"You're going in my room and taking stuff now?" she hissed.

"Lil's…."

"All I did was put them together again!" she told him angrily. "They're twins and shouldn't be separated!" stomped her foot. "So don't dare shout at me…"

"I wasn't going to….I was just remembering when you and Lauren flooded the bathroom coz you and she gave the bears a bath." he lifted them up and motioned to them. "These bears….. I got you these you know. The day you were born your mum was in hospital resting and visiting time was over so I bought them from the shop. I'd already been home showing anyone who would look pictures of you." he shook his head. "Of course I had to get passed all the reporters who were dying to get the first pictures of you. Mandy fooled them with fakes." he smiled as he remembered the way Mandy had cackled at getting one over them. "It was Alice's idea, just so she could get you home safe without them following is. The reporters weren't happy as they paid her for them." he shrugged. "They still did, camping out on our land so eventually to get them off our back we sold our first pictures of you and gave the money to the children's hospital in this area."

Lily let her dad ramble knowing he'd get to the point eventually. She sensed he was building up to something important. Her dad was usually direct so for him to talk aimlessly was new, it was making her nervous…..was he gonna tell her she was adopted? Or maybe she wasn't his! Maybe that's why he loved Lauren more….wait a minute you dope you and Lauren are twins! She reached the island and slipped onto a chair.

"You had them with you from the day you were born." he touched the soft pink fur on the bears head. "You always took yours everywhere. Lauren was less attached."

She nodded. "Its on most of the photos of me, in the background or on my knee or on one facedown in a bowl of ice cream."

He nodded. "That was why you wanted to wash it." a slight smile on his face. "Your mum got you a bowl of warm water but when that didn't get the desired results you decided that a bath was in order…then forgot the tap was on, left it running and flooded your whole room, thankfully we had a lock on the hot tap. You were in big trouble, you knew not to got near the bath unless me or mum was with you."

She could imagine. Her dad had went almost strangled her when she and her friends went in the pool unsupervised when she'd been nine! She'd been grounded for life for that one, life being three weeks.

"It was the only time your smile didn't work when I told you off. I was too scared to be honest, I mean what if you'd climbed in that bath? Or slipped and hit your head?" he touched the bears gently one last time and pushed them towards her and stood up.

That was it? She wondered her eyes following his movement. He went to the kettle and made them some hot chocolate. He sat down on the island again and handed her a mug. Lily immediately bent down and opened a drawer to retrieve the mini marshmellows her mum kept there. This was something of a ritual with her and her mum, every Saturday while her dad was in the surgery or at Fatani's or whatever they would pamper each other, sit in their dressing gowns and have hot chocolate with marshmellows and watch movies.

As Lily busied herself with them he was once again transported to a time when everything was easier, a time when his family was complete. "You and Lauren used to fight over the bag of marshmellows."

This she knew, her mum told her.

"You both used to cram as many in your cups as you could so many that the chocolate used to end up all soaked up and then when your mug was full, you moved on to your mouth it ended up so full you couldn't talk….and you both tried! Your mum used to take the bag and give you a certain amount each but I used to let you have the bag and eat as many as you wanted. Of course you ended up all hyped up off sugar all night and your mum grumbled about how I was sitting up with you. I didn't really care, I'd dreamed about being a dad what felt like my whole life so sitting up with you when you wouldn't sleep was never a chore. Lauren, she was quiet like me, never made a mess, went to bed and did as she was told but not you." leant across and ran a hand down her cheek gently. "You are so much like your mother, so much!

"Is that why you loved her more than me? Coz she was so good and I misbehaved?"

He shook his head. "I love you because you misbehaved. I love you because you're here, I love you because you're you, I love you because you're funny and intelligent and crazy. I love you because you're my daughter and I love you because you're Alice's daughter too."

She looked at him confused and sighed, "What is it about Lauren that made her you're favourite then?"

"You still don't understand Lily, YOU were my favourite because you are so much like your mum. I used to see so much of her in you as a child. This isn't me saying I don't love Lauren I do, I love her as much as you but I know deep down that you were…." he felt the emotion build up as it always did when he spoke like this and lowered his head pressing his palms deep into his eyes to stop the emotion.

"Me? What…..how….I don't get it? Then why act so weird with me?" now she was suspicious he was trying to fob her off. His next words staggered her.

"I felt guilty." was torn from him and his eyes were still not looking at her. "You aren't supposed to have a favourite child yet here I was…." he cleared his throat. "She was taken and it felt like punishment for how I…." his breath exhaled in a rush.

Lily looked at him a moment allowing this information to soak into her brain, after it did she couldn't believe how wrong he got it all! She sighed, got up, walked around the table and hugged her dad. "You know dad you're so stupid sometimes! Lauren wasn't taken because you thought I was your favourite." her emphasis on the word thought. "Lauren was taken away by someone who is sick in the head." she lowered her voice. "And you know what? I know I'm not you're favourite….and it isn't for the reason you might think." she pulled back and looked at him. "Were you relieved, even for a second that it was her taken and not me?"

He stared at her, he had never thought of it like that. "No."

She smiled. "See! Yeah I'm like mum and yeah you love her but I'm not her, I'm just as much like you. I'm surprised mum hasn't told you all this yet."

"She tried…."

"And you didn't listen?" she laughed. "That's is definitely something you and I have in common."

"I do love you Lily, I've always loved you, form that first kick."

She shook her head. "That was Lauren I was well behaved."

"This from the toddler her covered her mum in porridge. You wouldn't eat it and when I wasn't looking you picked the bowl up and threw it. I ducked just in time but your mum got porridged."

"Lauren made me, honest."

He stood up and kissed the top of her head somehow feeling lighter.

"We'll be ok now dad, just act normal with me and not all military dad. Talk to me, act like you care."

He nodded.

"Can I go to bed now? The school bus is coming early tomorrow."

"Sure thing sweetie. Good night."

"Night dad." and she took her bears and retired to her room.

**A/N awww lily and danny are fixed, now all we need is the danice to kiss and make up! is this the turning point in the story where they all start getting on with their lives...remeber the end of chapter two with the woman and young girl, here do they fitin with all of this? Keep reading!  
****i can guarentee for all you danice fanatics out there (count me in too :D) that they will kiss and make up in the next chappie, (or one after) and that is it, no breaking up for them, in this they so totally love each other and are so strong but a heart to heart is in order...soon! A chappie or two time! Tbh this is more about lily losing her twin and how the danice cope as a couple among other things you don't know about yet...x**


	6. Memories

Danny remained in the kitchen wondering about his wife and their last words to each other. Was she right? Was he basing his whole life on what happened with Lauren? They had planned so much before it happened, another child for example. Of course having another child hadn't been on that high on the agenda as soon as it happened but what about now? Seven long years had passed and they were still together, still strong but they hadn't continued with their plans. Their life had just sort of frozen, time ticking by slowly passing them by. It was so hard though!

Alice had been crying, he could tell when she'd been talking to Lily. Even though he hadn't been able to see her he could hear the remnants of the tears in her voice. He put his head in his hands, did he run the risk of losing her? That couldn't happen. He loved her too much, he honestly didn't know what he'd do with the knowledge that she would never walk in the house and shoot him one of her gorgeous cocky come get me grins….he frowned when he realised there hadn't been too many of them in their life lately. She was right, they had sort of settled into a rut. How did they come to this? The very thing which always made them come back to each other, their passion and fight had simply dwindled away and unless they did something soon he had a feeling that he would lose her. The image of her with her bags at the door taking off her ring, her eyes swimming with tears almost made him crumple into a heap onto the table. Without her life had little meaning.

He was going to fix them! He refused to lose her, he couldn't pretend anymore that this relationship was the same as it always had been. If he didn't then she would leave and there was nothing he could do to sway her. He pulled out his phone telling her he was going to get in touch with her via skype and hopefully she would respond.

* * *

Alice switched off her computer. She had tried to get in contact with Mandy but Davy was refusing to go to sleep for his dad so Alice left her to go see to him. It left Alice at a loss for what to do for the rest of the day. She hadn't planned on talking to Mandy all day but hopefully she would have some ideas for Alice for what she could do with her day off. It was a warm day outside, the sun beginning to shine tentatively and Alice hated to waste it. Her phone buzzed alerting her to a text. It was Danny.

'Alice honey we need to talk, I'm gonna try get in touch via skype please talk to me x' she made a face.

"Get stuffed Daniel!" and she text a quick but succinct reply stating that she had no desire to talk to him right now and it would serve him right if she never spoke to him again! She almost added a kiss but since she was angry she decided against it and pressed send. She expected him to ring so she turned her phone off and tossed it on the bed. Walked over to her window and opened it allowing some air to circulate.

She stayed and surveyed the area. It was a blissful morning. Quiet. Just south of her was the beach and that was the obvious choice for her day off…..but she had no idea how she would react when she go there…..if it went badly she could always leave. Of course there was the chance someone would recognise her, film her meltdown and sell it…..but that was the chance you took. You don't become famous and expect to be invisible. It's a nice thought, but not really gonna happen. She dressed in some three quarters trousers and a blouse, snagged a jacket and sailed out of her hotel. Made the slow trek to the beach. When she got there she immediately heard the sounds of young children, the older children would be at school so it was mostly toddlers with their mums enjoying the sunshine.

Alice took off her shoes and walked down the stone steps onto the sand. She stood there, the smell of salt and seaweed high in the air. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, began to slowly walk across the sand, enjoying the feel of it under her feet and between her toes. This was the first time in seven years she had even been near a beach. She and Danny had never taken Lily again since that day, even when they were on holiday. Lily knew better than to tell her mum if she was visiting a beach with her friends. It made her mum a nervous wreck the whole time, she told her dad and Danny was a nervous wreck instead. They couldn't lock Lily away and the older she grew the harder it was to protect her, she was beginning to formulate her own ideas and there were certain secrets in their lives that Alice wasn't sure they could keep. All Lily had to do was type her mums name in a search engine, or even her dads for that matter and her and Danny's whole life was a open book to her, every single gut wrenching heartbreaking detail. They were going to have to sit her down one day and tell her everything. From the stalker, to Lynsey, to the truth about how Lauren was kidnapped…..Alice halted and looked around. It had been on a beach just like this one that her baby girl had been taken…..suddenly the sand beneath her feet wasn't as enjoyable anymore. She quickly walked towards the nearest stairs and stomped up them. Began to walk along the promenade in bare feet towards an ice cream van. She bought a cone, sat down at a picnic bench and watched the sea, each wave came in washing the area clean. The white foam seemed to erase each footprint from the sand it covered….how she wished it could erase all the pain from her mind.

And just like that she was transported to seven years ago and the day her life imploded. The way it had happened had been similar to now, a family trip to London in the height of summer. She'd been in a play, or more aptly just finished one. She and Danny spoke often on the phone and over webcam and they decided that instead of Alice coming home he could bring the girls over and they would have a few days over there, for a change of scenery and a place for Alice to unwind. So they came and Alice smothered the girls in attention, they enjoyed it, having not seen their mother in two weeks. They did everything, took them to the zoo, soft play, swimming and even to an assault course so Danny had something to do. Lily had loved that, her and her dad crawling along their bellies like a pro under the net. Lauren and her were less enthusiastic, especially when Lauren realised how dirty Lily was when she came back. Of course Lily then proceeded to chase her twin and threatened to put mud in her hair. Lily should have been born a boy, she was a tomboy through and through only really changing after losing her sister. Alice sometimes wondered if a younger Lily thought it was because she was like that her sister left. Alice, too lost in her own guilt and grief never asked. She wished she had now.

Anyway it came to the last day of their holiday and they had a visit to a beach planned first followed by a trip to a theme park that night. The girls were over the moon, well Lauren was, she loved the beach, the sand, the water, the sun. Lily the more impatient just wanted to go to the theme park and go on all the big scary rides with her daddy. She was fearless, an absolute thrill seeker. Lauren had been promised the beach though so the girls armed with the new pink buckets with a clear plastic sheet filled with water and glitter, walked down onto the sand and began to build two castles, each trying to outdo the other. When it started to get heated Alice suggested they work together.

There they were, in matching shorts and t-shirt kneeling in the sand building when Lauren decided she wanted to go down into the water. Alice agreed taking off Laurens shorts and t-shirt showing her pink bathing suit underneath and took Lauren down to the water while Lily stayed behind with her dad building the biggest sand castle Alice had ever seen! She and Lauren had fun splashing about, searching the water for jellyfish and inspecting the seaweed. It was getting close to the time for leaving so they could go to the theme park and they walked up hand in hand back to Danny and Lily. Lauren suddenly spotted a dog, pulled free from her mum and went to it to stroke it. Alice chastised her for approaching a dog she didn't know and they began to walk up again. Laurens arms crossed pouting, she refused to hold her mothers hand. Then Lauren remembered that she left the stone she found down by the rocks, she turned and ran down. Alice began to follow when Lily called her. On instinct she turned to see her daughter behind her.

"Come and see me and daddy's castle!" she said excitedly. "Daddy called it a mansion and said you used to live in one of those loads and loads of years ago!"

"You can show me and Lauren….." Alice had said and turned… and saw no sight of Lauren. That was it, she was just gone. They had searched the beach, called the police but still they couldn't find her. That was the last time Alice had seen her.

Pulled back to present with a thump she remembered why she hated the beach, it was her daughters love for this place that meant she had been stolen from them. She dumped her ice cream in the bin not wanting to look at it anymore. It had been a bad idea coming here, the beach although warm and calm would always signify terror to her. She walked towards her hotel room.

* * *

Danny lay in bed that night rereading Alice's text reply to him for what felt like the millionth time. Alice could be blunt and to the point when she wanted and that reply had been very clear. She didn't want to talk to him and if he text and called frequently she would kill him, literally so he better not talk to her and if she never spoke to him again it would be too soon! He text her telling her he's awake and ready to talk whenever she wants to and left it at that. It had been hours ago and she hadn't been in touch. It was odd because since they married they had never went to bed on a argument, but that was kinda hard since it was bedtime for him and day time for her! So here he was lying here finding it impossible to sleep because he knew that he'd hurt her and she was angry at him.

He got up passing the clock noting it was one am. He walked down through the hallway and remembered in the old house when he had snuck in trying to be quiet and not wake her up and only managed to scare the daylights out of her! She had told him to turn on a light next time, here he was, yet again, walking down his hallway in the dark. Except this time she wasn't here to frighten. On impulse he opened the door to his daughters room and saw her curled up in the middle of her bed, the two bears clutched tightly under her arm. His heart swelled at the sight of her, unable to believe that she was his daughter. Nothing would ever happen to her! Anyone hurt her in anyway and Danny would kill them. No hesitation at all.

He closed the door quietly behind him and walked down the hallway his eyes drawn to the picture of the four of them on the living room wall. The last one of them all together. Danny had Lauren on his back, piggy back style and Alice had Lily and they were all smiling widely. There had been more taken that day, mostly of the girls but Alice had been adamant she wanted one of the four of them together. Now it sat on the wall as a reminder that chances were the four of them would never be a family again.

He walked into the study and pulled out a bottle of whiskey, poured himself a glass an drank it down in one gulp. Poured another and downed that too. He was about to pour another when he hesitated. Getting drunk wasn't the answer, it never helped. He'd tried it when he and Alice had been in the denial phase as he liked to think of it. His eyes were again dawn to the picture of them on the desk, a smaller version of the one in the living room, he studied it carefully. There was another picture beside it of him, Alice and Lily. The difference between the two was staggering! Obviously the pain of wehat happened to Lauren took over both he and Alice because he didn't see anyone he knew in the picture of the three of them. He and Alice were different, even though they were trying to smile it didn't look real, the eyes were different, they had changed so much. It broke his heart to see what happened to them, and worse did Lily see it? Was this affecting her? They couldn't continue just to put on that fake smile and lie to their daughter. They had to find a way to enjoy life and enjoy bringing her up….Lauren was gone…..he closed his eyes and he tried to ignore the feeling that was rising telling him it was a lie and one day they would see her again. He had to stop lying to himself. She was gone!

The walls he erected just seemed to crumble away and he felt his whole body slump forward. His head landed on his crossed arms and he felt the emotion just seep out of him. Before he knew it he was crying silently as to not wake his child. He cried for the missed years with Lauren. He cried for the missed years with Alice but most of all he cried for the missed years with Lily. He had never allowed any emotion for Lauren to be released over the years and he remained here for the longest time, until he was sure he had no tears left. As they slowly dried away and he raised his head he found it pounding. He picked up his phone to check the time and found that someone had text him. It was Alice.

'I need you right now.' she simply said so he loaded up skype. Within minutes he was talking to her.

"Hi honey." he whispered, his face and body shrouded in darkness.

"Sorry." she whispered, voice hoarse from tears. "I forgot it was night on your end. I can call back later."

He shook his head. "Talk to me."

Those three simple words from him and already she felt lifted. "I feel…..I dunno, I just really need you right now. I know if you were here with me than I'd feel better." her voice low and brimming with emotion.

"Me too. I couldn't sleep tonight. I miss you, I wish you were here." They both knew that no one else seemed to understand them the way their spouse did. It was unspoken, intrinsic and completely natural for them. They sat looking at each other, drinking in the others face.

"I'm sorry." he said. "About earlier. About Lauren."

"I don't want to talk about that right now." she whispered. "I want to talk about us. I want to remember every good thing that we have ever done or said and just maybe I won't go crazy here today."

He knew exactly how she felt. "How about the time I realised I loved you?" he asked. "You as usual driving me crazy and me realising that this time it actually isn't too bad because its you."

"Or the time you pretended to be drowning when we swan with dolphins on our honeymoon so I'd come over, save you….." She started.

"I didn't need the kiss of life." he interjected.

"Oh you really did!" she retorted.

"What about teaching me to dance?" he murmured. "A whisper away from changing everything, but is it safe to say such dangerous things?" he sang softly.

And that was how the night and the following morning carried on, both of them reminding each other of all the ways they loved each other with the memroies they made together. Although these single things were what made them fall and remain in love, there wasn't any single moment singled out as totally significant, because every moment they spent, every memory they made had its own importance. As the night changed into morning and the moon disappeared into the horizon they reminded each other over and over again why they loved each other and why they always would.

**A/N danice strong and in love as they should be! a hard chappie for danny and Alice had her own issues, Alice will have some stuff to come to terms with next chappie but not her and danny, they are solid! Honest, i'm not gonna split them up this time! (I feel the need to repeat this as i usually torture them :/) Thanks for reading x**


	7. Finality

The days and weeks passed until Alice only had a few more takes and her job was finished. It had been a long job, physically and emotionally. After only seeing her husband and daughter through a computer screen for the last seven weeks she was eager to get home to them. She had been willing to work on her day off and long into the night to try and get home sooner but she couldn't expect everyone to do that so here she was, sat in her hotel room on her day off bored out of her skull! If Lily had been here they would have went shopping, Danny setting them a spending limit and them failing badly. His limit was a joke really, just a test to see how badly they would smash it and here they were, in London with an untold amount of shops so the limit would no doubt be a blip in the distance. It didn't help that both her and Lily had a bad weakness for shoes! As toddlers Lily and Lauren both had over thirty pairs, each! Trainers, boots, ballet shoes, normal shoes, riding boots every possible imaginable shoe out there and her girls had at least one pair! Danny had understandably hit the roof, it wasn't the amount of money she spent on the shoes, he didn't want the girls growing up thinking they needed so much material stuff and Alice had to admit thirty pairs of shoes was excessive.

So now when she shopped she took a mini Danny with her who sat on her shoulder and talked to her. Once she bribed him with alcohol and went back with loads of bags. Big Danny hadn't been amused. So shopping here with her daughter would be hard as she would only coax and them encourage her mother. But alas that was not to be, because here she was, in London, alone.

* * *

Danny and Lily walked side by side down a busy street. Lily looking around grinning widely, dressed casually, skipping down happily. Danny in his usual jeans and shirt kept up with her easily.

"I can't wait to see mum!" Lily said almost hopping up and down. She noticed a box on a pole. She pressed the button and a red man appeared.

"What's this?" she asked looking at it closely.

"Its known as a Pelican crossing, we have been campaigning to have stuff like this implemented in Africa for years."

"Pelican crossing? Like a bird? What does it do?"

"No it's where people can cross the road safely, different from a zebra crossing."

Lily frowned more. "First Pelican and now zebra? What else a lion crossing?"

Danny laughed and he motioned her to cross when the man turned to green. The cars slowed and Danny waved as they crossed. Lily waved too hesitantly.

"Why we waving?" she whispered.

"Just an acknowledgement."

"Oh." she nodded and this time waved less enthusiastically. She gave them a curt nod, the drivers laughed at her.

"Anyway zebra crossings are painted strips on a rode, black and white obviously, usually accompanied by lights and as long as your feet are on the curb a car has to at least try and stop. Some people don't…" he shrugged.

"Roads here are weird! Can't believe you and mum lived in Britain as kids!" she snorted.

"Don't knock it until you try it kiddo!" and they saw the hotel in the distance.

"Mum!" she declared grinning.

"Admit it, all you want it to go shopping!"

She rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't mind." she conceded. "But just because mum has an eye for what looks good and you…." she sighed. "You just stop me buying stuff!"

"As much as you protested you do not need those extra pair of riding trousers. You have about twenty!"

"I do not!" she retorted in disgust. "It's closer to ten! And I need spares!"

"Give me strength!" Danny prayed to a higher power.

Lily simply snorted. "You know nothing about girls dad!"

He shook his head. "Sometimes I wish I had sons." he breathed.

"Yeah well you're stuck with me, a teenage girl, get used to it!"

And between her and her mother they were going to be the death of him! "Poor me!" and he grinned, put both of his hands on her head and ruffled up her hair so it messed up.

She shrieked and ran away. "You freak!" and she pulled out a small mirror grimacing at her reflection. "I hate you!"

"Yeah Lil's I know." he agreed. A few weeks ago had she said they he would have thought she meant it but now he knew that she didn't. Far from it, their relationship was going from strength to strength. They did stuff together, watched movies and he took an active interest in her school work.

They walked again, this time Lily on her guard incase her dad decided to strike again, she only relaxed as she walked through the doors to her hotel. Danny was always taken aback by how opulent the surroundings were but Lily was completely oblivious to it….obviously she had been in a quite a few of these places in her life time.

As he walked through the doors he looked back and saw that they were really close to a beach. Alice had probably been there for a visit, she always loved the beach. On their honeymoon she dragged him there nearly every day, and his skin had burned! Then she rubbed cream on it and it hadn't been that bad anymore, a wicked smile playing at his lips. He came to his senses as Lily approached the reception desk.

"Hello could we find out what room Alice Trevanion is in?" Lily asked in her poshest voice.

The man scrutinised her looking her up and down in one long sweep. Lily looked at her dad perplexed. "Who may I ask are you?"

Lily stared at the man like he was stupid. "You really need to ask?" motioning to her herself. "Have you actually seen Alice Trevanion?"

"Well?" he asked irritated.

Danny stood forward knowing Lily was about to let rip, and no doubt get them arrested, or kicked out at the very least! "Hello, this is my daughter Lily Trevanion and I'm Alice husband Daniel Trevanion."

"She's my mum you moron!" Lily spoke up arms crossed.

"If you are family then why don't either of you know what room she is in?"

"I don't think…" Lily began but was cut off by her dad putting his hand over her mouth.

"We're here for a surprise visit."

Lily was glaring at the man over her dads hand.

"Sir unless you have some sort of identification I can't let you up there. We were all warned of what happened to Mrs Trevanion a few years ago when….."

"Stop right there thanks!" Danny said leaning forward his hand no longer covering Lily's mouth.

"What happened?" Lily spoke up.

"Nothing!" Danny told her and showed him his passport.

"Need to see mine too?" Lily asked, "Or is the fact that I'm my mums clone enough now?"

"No I don't." ignored her latter statement.

"I can't believe you ha top ask! Look at me!" Lily ranted.

"Lil's let it go, he was doing his job!"

The man on reception didn't say anything, he gave Danny the room number and they made their way over to a lift. She pressed the button.

"Dad, what happened to mum a few years ago?"

Kid was like a dog with a bone, let nothing lie and forgot nothing either! "Just a man who liked her, he was caught quickly."

"What, like a stalker?" Lily gasped.

They walked into the lift. "Not really no, he sent her a few letters, he threatened her so the police intervened."

"Poor mum." she whispered. "Weirdo! Guess that's why she works so hard to keep me a secret huh?"

"WE want you to grow up as normally as possible. We haven't taken you to any media things she does, or any opening nights because you don't see the way people swarm around her. Its scary! I've seen professional people unable to talk around your mum, just because she makes films!"

Lily raised her eyebrows. "I thought it was all fun and games, the films, meeting people, autographs."

"That is just the side we've let you see and now that you're older you're gonna start seeing a much darker side. Especially because now you want to be part of that world too."

Lily exhaled.

Danny felt bad scaring her but she deserved to know that it wasn't always hearts and flowers and people keeping a respectful distance. It was people screaming your name, breaking onto your property and sometimes psychos who want your life!

The lift dinged and they exited walking down a hallway. They came to a door.

"We should make some sort of entrance!" Lily suggested excitedly.

"You mean instead of just walking in and saying hello?"

Her eyes lit up. "We should run in there pretending to be the police and this is a bust! Mum saying you'll never get me copper! Can we?"

"Lil that would give your mum a heart attack and I doubt she'd say you'll never get me copper she'll say Danny I want a divorce!"

"I know but imagine the look on her face as we walk in! It'll be hilarious!" Lily cackled.

"How about we just knock really loudly?"

Lily made a face. "Boring! But it'll do!" and she pounded her fist off the door.

Moments later an annoyed voice asked. "Who's knocking like…." the chain coming off.

"It's the police!" Lily called loudly.

"Damn it Lil's!" Danny scolded.

The door opened.

"Shouldn't you have waited for an answer on who it is first?" Danny asked at his wife's shocked expression.

"Danny? Lily?"

"In the flesh!" Lily exclaimed and threw herself in her mums arms. "I missed you."

"This from the child who thought the height of hilarity was giving her mum a heart attack!"

"You're just jealous coz I thought of it!" and stuck her tongue out at him. "You got a fridge in there I'm parched?" and skipped into the room.

Danny walked in and pulled Alice close. "I've missed you."

"Me too." Alice looked at him and realised there was something different about him. Yeah he was happier about his relationship with Lily but it was something else too, something she couldn't quite out her finger on. Before she knew what was happening he had captured her lips with his own and a heat which had been absent for a while was back with avengence. He tried to pull away but she tightened her hold refusing to let the heat leave. Danny responded whole heartedly.

"Can I remind you two that you have a child in the next room concerned by the quietness!" Lily called. "I'm going in mum's bedroom now before you both scar me for life!" and they heard a door slam loudly.

Danny broke the kiss to laugh, his forehead rested on Alice's. "I've missed you." ran his hand down her cheek and sighed. "I've missed this."

"Me too." her heart beating staccato. "You seem better."

"I've spoke to Lily, told her some stuff." he smiled. "She's a great kid."

"Yeah well she is ours!" they walked hand in hand to the living area and sat on a sofa. "We let our life stop." he murmured. "After Lauren. What happened to more kids and expanding the business?"

"I don't know." she admitted. "I've thought about this too. Our heart just wasn't in it anymore. In anything, in the business. In each other."

He kissed her softly. "I'm sorry."

"Me too."

He smiled wickedly. "You know it isn't too late to do all the stuff we planned, expand the business….."

"What about the other stuff? Expanding out family? We aren't as young as we used to be and what if its twins again?"

"Coz this time if Mandy tampers with your breakfast I'll strangle her." it turned out that for the months leading up to the wedding Mandy had been helping Alice's chances of conceiving by putting ovulation tablets on her breakfast without telling them! They were just lucky they ended up with twins and not triplets or more! "And Alice there is a saying, you are as young as you feel and right now I feel better than ever!" and he did! He was lighter than he had been in years! All it took was getting to know his daughter, I mean here he was, sat in London of all places and not demanding to leave!

"What…..what if it happens again though?" she whispered eyes cloudy.

"I can't promise it won't, but it was out of our control honey. We miss Lauren and love her and well grieve her every day for the rest of our lives but we need to live our lives. We owe it to her to be a family."

"She isn't coming back is she?" Alice asked softly voice shuddering, a part of her holding onto that vainly. Hearing Danny agree that it was time to move on made what he was trying to say patently clear.

"I don't think so honey. I'm sorry."

Tears spilled over Alice's lashes. He only confirmed what had been going through her mind for the last few years but having it confirmed hurt more than she thought it would. Hearing the words made it all feel so final.

Danny pulled her close as she cried silently. Lily appeared at the door and he motioned her across knowing Alice needed her daughter more than anyone right now. Lily came across and sat close hugging her mum.

"It'll be alright mum." she whispered. "It will I promise."

**A/N Filler really needing to get Danny and Lily to London where it ALL starts to kick off! it all starts again next chappie! Believe me the end of it is a turning point for this fic! Anyway you will have to wait and see what happens!  
****Quick update it was supposed to be longer than this but had a busy night, unfortunately no tym to update opp att as i finally have some written! x**


	8. Attention

After Alice's tears had dried they had decided to mark this new start by going to the beach. It was the height of summer in London now and Lily was all for it. So she dragged her case into the bedroom and changed into cooler clothes. Soon they set off, Danny and Alice strolling hand in hand silently while their daughter went on ahead. Alice couldn't help but think that Lily's clothes resembled what her and Lauren had wore that day. White shorts and top, the only difference the sandal's on her seat and the shades rested on her hair. Alice literally found it impossible not to watch her.

"It's still not easy is it?" Danny murmured pressing a kiss to her hair. Alice was as rigid as a post beside him.

She rested into the crook of his arm. "I know."

"She's a good kid Alice I have no doubt if someone tries she'll scream the place down or attack and mortally wound whoever tries. She is YOUR teenage daughter remember. She scares me and I'm her dad!"

Alice laughed softly. He was right, she knew it. Things were different now, Lily was older and more aware of the dangers, at the same time though all it took was one well planned fool and she'd be gone!

Lily spotted some horses and ran across full speed.

"Typical Lil's!" they chorused and followed her.

"Do you want a ride on one of these ponies?" the showman asked.

Lily gave the man 'the look' "No thanks, I have horses at home, I wanted to look at…." and she turned to the brown horse and obvious star of the show.

"Him?" the man supplied.

"He's gorgeous!" Lily breathing stoking him lovingly.

"We have a few of his ponies being sold." he suggested.

Lily turned and looked at her mum pleading.

"Lil you have Candy and Rocky at home, you don't have the time to be taking care of three horses!"

"Can't we at least go and look? Please? Look at how healthy he is!"

Alice had to admit, upon inspection he was a good looking horse and looked well looked after. And her daughter had more experience in that area that she did, so if she said he was good then chances were he was good! "Does he have blood lines? Papers?"

Danny couldn't believe what he was hearing. Alice was a pushover! This is how they ended up with Rocky! "Alice Lily has two horses at home and we live in South Africa. How do you plan on getting this horse over there?"

Alice made an 'I hadn't thought of that' face.

"Hadn't thought far ahead had we dear?" he laughed.

"Sorry." Alice shrugged looked to the showman. "Husband has spoken."

Danny put his arm around Alice tightly and Lily gave them a look of pure disgust.

The showman smiled and nodded.

"Can I ride an adult horse?" Lily asked.

He shrugged and looked at her parents. Alice handed over some money. They gave Lily a hat and she walked around inspecting the horses. She picked a white paint horse with brown patches. A man stood ready to help her.

Lily grinned cockily. "It's ok, I got this." and pulled herself on in one smooth movement. Her posture was perfect as she slowly walked the horse around, unaccustomed to being a horse she didn't know well. She didn't need led around like the other kids, but a man was close by just in case. Danny took some pictures.

"Its weird being on sand" Lily told them. "I like it, I'll have to take Candy to the beach one day."

Lily was getting in tune with her horse when without warning a dog ran towards them barking. All the horses were spooked, Lily's even reared up but being an experienced rider she controlled it effortlessly. One of the youngest riders being led around wasn't as lucky and the dog ran up to the horse barking. The horse bolted with the child still on its back, the leaders grip on the reins not as tight as it should be. Some of the workers began to chase the horse yelling which of course would only make it worse.

Lily reacted without thinking and pressed her heels into the horses side. It jumped to life and she was in pursuit of the smaller pony. She made her body as small as possible bent over the horses head and felt the air whipping through her hair, adrenaline was pumping hard inside her. The next bit was going to be harder. People were scattering everywhere, some grabbing at the horse making in neigh angrily.

"Move out the way!" she shouted waving her arm. Soon she pulled up alongside the horse, and saw the terror in the child's eyes, she was barely hanging on bouncing everywhere. Lily bent over and with only one hand on her reins she grabbed at the other horses. Her heart was pounding, she had never done anything like this before, it was bloody dangerous, not only for her but the other kid too, especially if the horses collided. To be honest she was quite enjoying the feeling, not the scared feeling for the child but the wonderment of whether she was gonna end up coming off the horse at speed! Finally she grabbed the bridle and sat back down jugged at the horse's reins gently to slow it and eventually it came to a full stop.

Lily exhaled and shook her head. "Whoo!" then jumped from her horse towards the other one. She talked nonsense to it as she passed and proceeded to help the shaking child down from the saddle.

"You ok?" Lily asked placing the child on her feet.

The girl nodded and eyed the horse wearily.

"He was fast! Dunno how you held on! You were great!"

The child seemed to perk up at the praise. Her mum was beside her and picked her up hugging her tight. Lily's own mother appeared and Lily grinned at her cockily. "I was brilliant!"

"What were you thinking Lily? Riding off like that!" Alice yelled angrily.

"Excuse me?" Lily gasped. "I was worried about that girl! Plus I'm an experienced rider, probably the best one here!" her eyes flashing fire. There was pure arrogance in her tone and Danny knew she fully believed what she said. "I didn't see anyone else jumping on a horse to save her did you!"

Ok mother and daughter about to go to war, Danny thought. He best step in before blood was shed! "Well done Lily, we're proud of you." he told her, turned to Alice. "She is SO yours!"

"Thanks dad." and hugged him, glaring at her mother.

Danny released her and she approached the horse she had been riding. The mother of the other child halted her. "Thank you so much" That was so amazing! I was so scared." and pulled Lily close.

"Whoa!" she yelped then laughed. "It's nothing." and patted her back awkwardly. She had seen her dad do this to people when animals he was operating on died and it seemed to work. "I have horses at home so I'm experienced."

"WAIT A MINUTE THAT'S ALICE COLLINS!" someone shouted from no where.

Alice grimaced and covered her eyes with her hand. Not to block her vision, they were already closed, it was in pure disbelief. Here it goes and she sighed. Danny moved and brought Lily closer to him and stood by Alice's side.

"If it kicks off grab Lily and take her to the hotel." she whispered knowing how easily this could escalate.

"You can't expect me to leave you!"

"To keep our child safe? Of course I do!"

People were slowly approaching staring at Alice. Lily looked at them, the expression on some of their faces were creepy!

The mother of the child was gaping at her. "Alice Collins daughter saved my daughter?" she gasped looking like all her Christmas's came at once.

Lily bristled, she wasn't an extension of her mother. She was her own person. "Excuse me I'm not Alice Collins daughter I'm Lily!"

"Lily Collins?" she asked.

"No I have a dad you know!" Lily was getting angry now.

Danny was getting antsy more people had gathered in what felt like seconds. They had their phones out and were taking pictures of both Alice and Lily. He saw Alice's face and felt her darkening mood. She didn't look happy at this blatant invasion of privacy. He put an arm around Lily and the other around Alice and began to take them to the hotel. People were touching Alice and he felt her cringing by his side. They were chanting her name and pleading for autographs. Alice however was barely hanging on to her temper.

As Danny was taking his wife and daughter to safety they missed the woman in the background staring at them darkly. There was young girl beside her.

"When the time comes avoid him!" the woman said.

The girl nodded. "What about her?" and motioned to one of the people held in her arms.

"She's collateral damage, I only want one of them!"

The girl nodded and they turned away. It was simple luck that the woman had noticed Lily walking along the street alongside her dad. The family were in London! It made her plan so much easier!

Danny, Alice and Lily were followed all the way to the hotel and Alice's hand was throbbing after punching a particularly amorous man in the jaw. Poor Danny wanted to step in but Alice had warned him to keep Lily close to him at all times. Lily was obviously shaken, people were grabbing at her too, simply because she resembled her mum so much.

Now they in the safety of the hotel, after Danny did a quick cursory check of Lily, Alice headed straight for their room. Danny and Lily shared an anxious look at the rage that was evident on Alice's features. She slammed the door after Danny and Lily entered their suite, she was almost shaking with the force of her anger.

"I'm sick of this!" she yelled.

"Lily go in the bedroom and order something to eat, I'll be through soon yeah?" Danny told her. The bad side he had tried to tell her about showing itself just there.

She didn't need to be told twice! Lily nodded and disappeared, never having seen her mum react like this to anything. One of the quirks to having a mum who can act. Her anger is always concealed.

"Alice calm down." Danny whispered putting his hands on her arms and rubbing soothingly as soon as Lily was out of the way.

"NO! Lily shouldn't have drawn attention to herself like that! Doesn't she know what could happen to her?"

"Alice we have tried to give her as normal an upbringing as possible, because of that no she probably doesn't realise the lengths people would go to get to her. Ignoring all that, she did a good thing. That girl could have been hurt!"

"I know." she conceded voice shuddering. "I'm proud too but we've tried so hard to keep her out of the spotlight and now….she doesn't know what it's like to have people staring at you, or the danger she had brought on herself. It isn't a game and she was out there strutting about all arrogant after doing that and I wanted to strangle her!"

"That isn't all that's bothering you is it?" he asked sitting her down.

"No." she breathed feeling fatigue press down on her. "They are going to drag up all the Lauren business again. It always is when I come back here and in the papers. I HATE IT!"

"It'll be fine." he promised and kissed her softly. "We'll get through this like all the other times someone has printed something you disagreed with then we'll go home and be happy. Just put up with it a little longer ok?"

She nodded and rested her head on his chest. "I love you." she told him muffled.

"Ma loov voo too." he told he pretending his voice was muffled aswell.

She laughed and closed her eyes. This was why she loved this man so much, the smallest littlest gestures from him made all the difference to her, even saying I love you like that made her laugh when she felt like she could kill. all she could say was she loved him. Three little words so easy to say, she meant them, from deep down and she wished there was a way to show him how much!

"How about the three of us sit in here and watch a film, just us? Pig out on junk food and be slobs?" he suggested.

"Promise me I don't have to be in it." she pleaded Lily liked watching her on screen and pointing out all the best bits. All Alice did was cringe, she hated seeing herself on screen.

"I promise!" then kissed her head. "Lil's?" he called.

Lily appeared at the door, saw her mum with her head on her dads chest. She'd heard what her mum said and finally understood part of what she meant. "Sorry mum." she said shuffling across.

Alice sat up and smiled at her. "Don't be, you did a good thing. It's just best not to draw attention to yourself sometimes. Its safer."

Lily nodded. "I will from now on, promise."

"We're watching a film tonight." Danny told her changing the subject to something lighter.

"Can it be Living and Loving Dangerously!" Lily asked. "I love it! And Austin Bailey wow!" she breathed. "I SO wish I had that job."

"That was filmed at our place you know, that's how me and your dad met." Alice told her.

Lily's eyebrows shot up. "I thought the place looked familiar. I noticed a shot of the house in the distance though and it looks different, why?"

"We renovated." Danny reminded. "And extended out, bigger rooms and kitchen."

"Oh." Lily murmured. "Just coz one of my friends said there'd been a fire or something years ago but I said no coz you'd have told me right?"

Danny and Alice nodded mutely.

"How stupid is she huh? Trying to tell me about my own family!" Lily shook her head and sat down next to her mum. "Anyway Living and Loving dangerously." battered her eyes at her mum pleadingly.

"No Lily, mums choice tonight."

"Old people films then." and crossed her arms.

"No, just decent films." Alice countered.

"So you make rubbish films then mum?" Lily grinned boxing her mum in a corner.

"Well no but…."

"Then please!" she pleaded hands together.

Alice looked to her husband and he saw the moment she have in. "Ok Lil's. you win."

Lily whooped. "I'm gonna order the food!" and she skipped off.

Danny sidled closer to her. "You reconsidering having another child yet?" he whispered and kissed her neck softly.

"Totally!" Alice agreed enjoying the sensations rocketing through her.

Danny quickly stopped knowing their child was in the next room. Alice groaned at him but went to the other phone in her room to see if they could get a bigger room with an extra bed. Unfortunately they couldn't so Alice added Lily and Danny as occupants and extra keys were sent up.

"Well I call the bed!" Lily declared. "You two can have the floor."

"Nice try," Danny said, the bed in there was king size, plenty enough room for the two of them. "I'll take the sofa, you two have the bed!"

**A/N Well Lily drew attention to herself in the worst way...and she is getting too arrogant i think, no doubt someone will have to bring her down to size. Good news tho the danice are happy and strong and cute so thats good :D I likr writing loving Danice :)  
I know i promised you a big ending but that was before i realised the last chapter was shorter then i intended, this is actually the end of the last chapter and it wouldn't flow carrying it on so sorry, next chappie definately!**

**Anyway in other news, I have decided not to update Opp Att until it i have finished writing it, as at the moment its coming in dribs and drabs, but i know where i'm going i just don't feel like writing right now as Uni assignments are coming :/ Bleh! EVIL!  
Thanks to all who read and review x**


	9. Meeting

**A/N warning some distressing things at the end here some might not like, the last sentence especially. Just a warning. Danielle x**

It was the final day of filming for Alice, Danny and Lily had stayed with her for the remaining few days. Alice decided that Danny could squeeze into the king size bed with them since the sofa was far too small for him. Lily grumbled but acquesed. It was a tight squeeze though, especially because Lily was a bed hog!

Alice had been right about the beach incident, pictures of Lily had been plastered over every paper in the UK. Alice Collins hero daughter just one of the headlines. Apparently she galloped to the rescue just like right out of a movie! God the clichés were killing her! Of course Lauren was mentioned, briefly, and the fact that the police were reconsidering reopening the case and having a fresh look at the evidence. More heartache and uncertainty for her and Danny as they were informed about each lead, and the fact that it led to another dead end.

She exhaled and sat down. She was just sat here by the set waiting for her last take and then she was meeting Danny and Lily up by the offices as she went to see the producer to sign off. Then they were finally able to go back home! Lily was going crazy, she had been cooped up in the hotel for the last few days, reporters just itching to talk to her and try get an interview. Alice had already given the editors of the papers hell for printing a picture of her daughter without her face blanked out, she was threatening a law suit unless they left her child alone. The reporters got the message eventually.

She heard her name called and smiled. It was nearly over!

* * *

Meanwhile in a darkened car park a child and woman sat talking.

"That is the girl you want to talk to Lauren, memorise her." the older one handed the newspaper to her. Lauren studied it intently.

"God she propa looks like ah mam like!" her accent quite strong and distinct. Lauren had been brought up in Newcastle for as long as she could remember, it was weird as her mum had quite a neutral accent, hers of course was Geordie.

"It doesn't matter what she looks like Lauren, just get her here!" she silented, a silent or else added on the end.

Lauren nodded and put the paper down. "Thought it was ah mam ya didn't like. What's this Lily got to dee wi anythin?"

"To get to a mother you use her kids. That's an important lesson Lauren, remember it."

Lauren agreed, however didn't think it was fair, why should a kid suffer for something her mum did? "Ya not gonna hurt ah are ya?"

Her mum looked at her angrily. "Its this or the other plan!"

Lauren looked away at the scars that covered her arms. She knew what would happen if she refused, failed or even suggested plan B. "She only a kid though, twelve like me, are ya really ganna kill ah?"

"Lauren do as you are told!" Lauren sat up straighter, ready to jump out of the car if the lighter even moved an inch closer!

"I'll be waiting!" her mum told her. "Don't come back empty handed."

Lauren nodded and slid out of the car guilt filling her slowly. Why did she have to do this to another young girl? A kid her age! If things were different that Lily could be her!

"Remember I'm doing this for you." her mums voice soft, she must have saw the conflict on her face. She needed to get this Lily here! "Remember what happened when you were growing up? How Alice Collins if the cause of everything wrong in our life. The scars on your back, she did that! It's because of her! It all could have been so different Lauren, remember how every night you said you hated her?

Lauren nodded the ever present feelings being to bubble and boil. Her mum treat her badly because of Alice! If Alice hadn't killed her dad in that fire then everything would be different, and Alice had to pay for that! She began walking towards the doors with purpose.

* * *

Lauren had been waiting in the shadows of the office stairwell for an hour. Through a pane of glass she could see a man and a young girl. They were stood chatting, the girl, Lily showing him something on her phone, Lauren couldn't get a clear look of his face as his back was to her but the girl was as clear as day. Lily. She kept getting this weird sick feeling when she heard the name and was trying not to think of it. She shook it off and focused again.

"Come on!" she whispered needing him to leave, for five minutes that was all! The possibility was she was going to have to do it with him here, not as easy but still doable. She had been told to stay away from him, when she asked they later her mum belted her so it was a mystery. Finally Lily seemed to roll her eyes and motion him away. He put his hand up telling her five minutes then walked away.

Lauren smiled put herself in character as her mum taught her, blinked a few times and covered her face. Walked through the door into the hallway, looked around pretending to be distressed…..Lily looked at her and frowned, obviously concerned….Bingo!

* * *

Lily leaned against a wall trying to fit multiples pieces of randomly shaped blocks into a cube shape on her phone, she was on level 312 of block puzzle and it ha finally got hard! Once again another piece didn't fit and she groaned. She liked a challenge but this was ridiculous! Down the hallway a girl appeared crying, looked around distressed and was crying more. She turned to walk down the hallway away from lily. Lily moved towards her. "Hey you alright?"

The girl either didn't hear her or ignored her and carried on moving. Lily moved quicker and put her hand on her arm.

The girl spun and they were face to face. Lily felt like something had hit her with the force of a sledgehammer when she looked into her eyes. She knew those eyes!

Lauren felt it too and took a step back. "Jesus!" she whispered her voice hoarse though she didn't know why.

"You ok?" Lily asked staring into her face intently.

"Am lost, trying to get oot of here." Lauren told her shakily.

Lily watched the girls eyes the whole time and knew something was off. "You're lying."

"No am not!" Lauren breathed. This wasn't going to plan!

"Yes you are, I don't know how I know because your act is good but you are lying!"

"Ah divn't really care what ya think." and Lauren started backing off slowly. This lass had voodoo or something! "Anyway it was…." Lauren started to say.

"Hang around, my dad will be back soon and be able to give you directions." Lily told her eyes pinned to her face.

"No thanks…." and Lauren began to back away faster.

Again Lily followed. "Now you're scared, why?"

"What's up wi ya? Telepathic or something? Am going reet!" and she continued to move, still facing Lily.

Lily followed "My dad will help!"

"I divn't need it do ah!" They were almost around the corner, keep coming Lauren coaxed mentally. As soon as they were around the corner in the quiet Lauren could restrain her. Her mum had taught her a lot about restraining people and Lauren hated to do it but it was every man for themselves, her mum was absolutely ruthless! They were almost there when Lauren broke eye contact at the sound of someone approaching…..and no guesses who it was! A tall man stepped into the hall. Green eyes, brown hair….Lauren let out a string of curse words and spun to leave. He had saw her though, she knew as he shouted "Lauren!" and footsteps began to approach.

"Damn it!" she hissed and broke out into a dead run around the corner.

* * *

Danny walked from the bathroom and saw his daughter speaking to a young girl, the girl looked up at him and he felt his heart almost stop beating in his chest. His brain couldn't quite grasp what he was seeing. His green eyes, his brown hair, his face... but they were on the teenage girl in fnt of him…. that was impossible!...Wasn't it?... Could it be?...Really? "Lauren?" he gasped.

The girl turned and began to leave.

"Lauren!" he yelled and followed her.

She broke out in a dead run so he ran too following her. Stopped beside Lily. "Go to the security guard downstairs!" he told her. "Tell him what's happened!" then he ran around the corner after Lauren.

Lily turned towards the door. "Tell the security guard what exactly?" She had no ideas what was going on! but she had to do as she was told. She pulled out her phone to text her mum, as she was composing a message a hard hand clamped over her mouth. In fright she dropped her phone and her captor kicked it away. Soon she was being dragged backwards, her feet fumbling as they were dragging alomng the floor. She couldn't get any stable footing. Lily almost gagged as the odour of sweat and stale cigarettes surrounded her.

Lily was starting to panic, scenarios filling her mind of her being taken away, attacked, killed! No freaking way! She tried to use her hands against the captors grip on her mouth but they were weak vessels against the adult who held her. She fought on tirelessly until she remembered what her dad had taught her in the hotel just last night. He had been teaching her some basic protection and he said if anyone ever grabbed you from behind you…. She lifted her foot and stomped down with her heel, directly on the toes of her captor. She heard a hiss of pain and thrust her elbow backwards. It connected with soft flesh and she heard an oomph. it had the desired effect and she was free. It worked just like her dad said. She wasted no time. "DAD!" she screamed and tried to run.

Her captor however grabbed a handful of her hair and her head jerked back. Her head alongside her captor.

"Don't think you're getting away from me Lily! Lauren didn't!" and she wrapped her hand around Lily's neck. Lily was pushed forcefully towards the wall and pounded off it twice in rapid succession. Lily felt both impacts painfully and fell to her knees, almost unable to see her head was so light. Her knees couldn't hold her though and she was sprawled face down on the floor. Her arms slowly wrapped around her head tightly and tears fell from her eyes. Her head was spinning from the blows.

"Get up!" a woman demanded.

Woman, Lily thought frantically, she had to remember it was a woman! She was determined to get out of this She hit out with her arms and legs, her dad would be back soon, he would save her! He had to have heard her scream.

"You're coming with me!" the woman told her, the voice hoarse like she smoked too many cigarettes.

"NO!" Lily tried to tell her forcefully, yet it came out a moan…..better than a plea she supposed. She had no other chance to think anything else as the woman stomped on her head.

Lily's vision was blurry now, her nose was bleeding from the blows off the wall and she had bit her lip, the metallic taste of her own blood filling her mouth. "Dad." she whimpered needing him to rescue her so badly.

She was picked up by her collar, her captor holding her up as he body seemed to slump. An arm was tight around her neck and her back was against her captors chest once again. Not once had Lily seen her face.

"If you don't want the same to happen to you that happened to your sister you'll come with me without a fight!" she warned. "I'm very handy with a knife and I'd rather that came later, we have things to do first!"

Lily felt tears falling quicker down her face, where was her dad? She was pulled through a doorway and it closed behind her. She was struggling to think, her vision was clouded.

"Wonder if you'll cry like Lauren did when I slit her throat!" her captor hissed.

**A/N OMG! Is that Lauren Danny is following? Or is she a decoy so the woman could get her hands on Lily? She has her omg! Danny is far away, Alice no where in sight! What is going to happen? (well I know but there we are lol) x**


	10. Is She Or Isn't She?

**A/N RECAP - As Danny chases someone he suspects as Lauren in a building unbeknownst to him Lily who he told to go to a security guard has been kidnapped by someone and they are taking her outside.**

**(X)**

All Danny could see was Laurens shoulder length brown hair flying behind her as she weaved through the hallways of the set offices. She passed a plant and pulled it over, he vaulted over it. He saw try another burst of she speed and she raced through them. He was faster though, his legs longer and he soon caught her. He took her arm and she swivelled, clenched a tight fist and hit out hard at his chest, Danny didn't feel it.

"Calm down!" he coaxed her gently.

"Ah divn't na who ya fink ah am but am nowt to dee wi yee!" yanked her arm roughly. "Lerris gan!"

god even without the accent she sounded like her mother, and like Lily he added. The attitude was identical, and the angry I could kill you tone.

"Me dad is ganna kick yee all owa just wait!" and she pulled hard with all her weight.

What was weird is she hadn't screamed yet, almost like she didn't want to draw attention to herself, why?

"Don't run please, I'll release your arm."

She looked up at him and he almost melted at the sight of her big green eyes, so much like Alice's, except for the colour. She just had this expression her mum wore when she was weary of something. She nodded quickly, not saying a word. He slowly loosened his grip and she took a step away.

"People are waiting for iz in the car park." she rubbed her arm.

"Ok." he replied simply. "Let me go get Lily and I'll take you to them."

"NO!" she yelped.

"Why?" frowned at her.

"Erm, coz they'll kick off if they see me with a strange man you moron! Howay what would yee dee?" rolled her eyes.

"Well I'm not letting you go by yourself….." he never got to finish that statement as an ear splitting scream filled the air. "DAD!"

He paled automatically. "Oh no Lily!" he breathed, grabbed Laurens arm once again and ignoring her protests dragged her down the hallway to where the last spot he knew his daughter was. He arrived there and found the hallway empty and was about to take her to the office when he saw pink in the corner of his eye. He went to it knelt down and saw Lily's phone. He started to feel a little bit sick, she never went anywhere without her phone, not only so she could stay in contact with her friends but because she knew how important it was for her parents to be able to stay in contact with her at all times.

"No….no…" he whispered and released Lauren walking down the hallway and saw jet black hair and droplets of blood he knelt down and touched the blood to find it still wet. "Lily…." he breathed and looked around. It was then he noticed Lauren backing away quietly. He was up and beside her in seconds. She had spun to try and run but he caught her around the waist before she could move. He held her to his side while he fought to get his phone out of his pocket.

"LEMME GO!" she screamed fighting him hard. "Al kill yee for this ah swear to God!"

A lift dinged and a woman walked out. Danny didn't turn his head so he didn't see Alice walking towards them.

Alice left the lift on the bottom floor, where she planned to meet Lily and Danny. She immediately heard her daughter, except her voice was weird and she was irate! She saw Danny and by his side a girl fighting. She walked towards them.

"Danny why are you holding Lily like that and why is she putting on that ac….." she caught sight of the girl her husband was holding. "….cent." Alice's eyes widened as her voice escaped her. "Lauren?" she managed to whisper and stood in front of her. She was small for her age, and had stopped fighting and was staring back at her with wide green eyes, the image of Danny's. "Lauren is that you?" she asked softly. She looked the same as she had as a child, except taller and she had lost the rest of the baby fat from her face and she was much shorter than….Alice looked around realising, if Danny wasn't holding Lily then where was she? "Where's Lily?" she asked Danny.

Danny didn't answer so she grabbed his arm. "Danny where is Lily!"

"I told her to go to security and she didn't get there!" he told her dialling another number on his phone. He was soon talking quickly. "Keep her, she keeps running." and he began to run down a hallway and out of the door.

Alice didn't understand what he was trying to tell her! She was with him, so why wasn't she here? He remind was being yanked it all kinds of directions. Lily was gone, Lauren was here and almost in shock staring at her. It had to be their Lauren, she resembled Danny so much it was uncanny! On a blood relation could look so much like him, she even had the tilt to his head he did when watching someone.

"Are you ok?" Alice asked her. "Please don't run,. We'll get this all cleared up in no time ok?" touched her arm gently.

An unusual look flitted across Laurens face at the contact and her face was soon neutral, almost cold. "You're that actress woman then?" Lauren mused. "The dead famous one who was in all the papers, and that Lass was aswell, someink about a horse?"

Alice found it almost surreal hearing Lily's voice with such a natural distinct Newcastle accent. That kind of accent was hard to imitate as it sometimes went badly wrong. She had heard Danny do it once or twice after watching a program called grafters and it was weird. She was getting off subject, but she was finding it hard to concentrate. "Do you live in Newcastle then?"

"I asked my question first!"

Alice nodded. "Yes my name is Alice Collins and I am an actress. Lily was in the newspapers recently after saving a young girl on a horse."

"He ya husband?"

Alice nodded.

"Me dad is gonna kick him all owa for grabbin me ya na!" Lauren nodded.

"Is your name Lauren?"

"Yeah." and she crossed her arms.

"And is your birthday April seventh?"

Lauren frowned. "This is pua weird like! You stalking is? Just coz ya an actress doesn't mean you can invade me privacy!"

"I didn't….."

"Then how do ya na that stuff then?"

Danny appeared down the hallway and was putting the phone away. He looked ill. "The police are on the way, security has the building on lock down, they won't get out."

Lauren heard the word police and almost bolted. This was all going wrong! Alice blocked her in on one side and Danny the other. Danny motioned to her, "What do you think? Is she?"

Alice nodded in agreement. "Could be! It's uncanny how much she reminds me of Lily, she has this…."

"attitude?" he supplied.

Alice nodded and even though Lily was gone she found it within herself to smile.

"Can ya not talk aboot iz like am not standing reet here man!" again she rolled her eyes.

"Lily!" Danny told Alice. The attitude right there. "But try not to worry, she'll be around somewhere, she was away from me five minutes tops. She'll be close. I had a quick look around and the police are cordoning off the immediate street area. They will get her. I have them her description." and he looked down at Lauren. "First we need to confirm who she is!"

"Divn't yee botha even talking to me!" Lauren snapped. "Al get yas both done for kidnapping!"

And wasn't that the biggest irony of the whole situation? Alice wondered. Officers approached them from down the hallway and Danny walked halfway to greet them. Alice missed the way Lauren gulped at the sight of them.

(X)

Lily was held tightly against a woman's body. She catalogued all she could. Medium build, slightly taller than her, and she was tall for her age, her captor had longish hair that tickled her face and it looked brown from the corner of her eye. Her vision had cleared and she was aware they were heading for the car park. Cameras! They had cameras and she looked directly at once straightening her face so they got a clear look.

"I know what you're trying to do Lily and I fixed the cameras, all blacked out!" she hissed. "AND the ones in the hallway!"

Lily clenched her jaw, felt her feet stumble and her ribs screamed with pain. They walked through a draughty space and cars were lined up like soldiers. As the daughter of a big star she had the threat of kidnapping hanging over her wherever she went and she'd had it drilled in her head that you under no circumstances get any car! So she was gathering her strength for what she considered the final showdown, she would die before she got in that car because if she did she was as good as dead anyway! And at thought she felt a strange sort of calm, like she knew her choices and that was it. She already had her plan too, whoever this freak was she had to loosen her hold to open the car door and when she did Lily was going to be ready! They headed for a black Peugeot and nerved filled her, heart pounding hard. The person didn't loosen her hold as she went into her pocket for the keys. She pulled them out and beeping filled the area along with orange flashing lights.

Ok here we go Lily thought and kept her body taut waiting for her opening.

Her captor fumbled with the keys, she sidled closer to the car and began to bend over. Lily felt the pressure on her neck loosen and she took her chance, flung her head back and felt the impact jaw the back of her head. The arm dropped, but the door to the car opened and she was pushed inside. She fell face down on the seat the person holding her face swearing, blood spewing from her nose. Lily didn't waste a second and turned and launched herself out of the car,. Impacted her captor in the midsection and she were in the ground, rolling. She kicked out.

"You're sister wasn't this much trouble!" her captor roared. Lily made a fist and when she was above the woman hit down hitting her in the face twice. Her captor hit her back with so much force she saw stars, but being aware she was fighting with her life made her impervious to the blows. She fought harder and knew she was loosing when the sound of a car startled her. Lily hit her again, rolled off her and ran into the darkness. She stumbled towards the line of cars and weaved between them, decided to crouch behind one, it was white. Heavy footfalls approached and she closed her eyes and released a breath silently. She kept her breathing shallow and crouched low. The lights were out in this area and everything was dark. She knew she couldn't stay here, it was too dangerous that she'd be caught so Lily , staying as low as she could moved towards the exit for the cars when she reached the wall she was leaving herself open but she had to. She moved swiftly and ran, gun shots echoed but she was under the pole and towards the street. All she needed was a phone…another gunshot echoed and something tear through her shoulder and she fell to her knees. Holding her arm to her stomach she pushed herself up and ran. She'd find a phone and call the police. Looked at her shoulder and saw blooding leaking steadily.

(X)

Danny, Alice and Lauren were sat in a police station. Since Lauren was refusing to talk to anyone about anything, except to give her parents names as John and Jane Smith she was there too. That combined with Danny and Alice's insistence that she could be their missing daughter meant she had been fingerprinted to see if she was on their system. Her fingerprints from South Africa were being faxed over. They were going to compare them as a DNA test took a long time. Meanwhile they sat in a pink room with cushioned seats, a TV on the wall and magazines which were months out of date, Lauren held a can of Fanta and slouched low, face mutinous. Danny and Alice were sick with worry for Lily. They had been told nothing, but they had heard the gunshots.

"Me dad will come soon." Lauren kept saying. Except she had no dad and Emma had never told her his name. Still she had to admit her resemblance to the man across the room was weird, it was kind of like looking in a mirror at an old male version of herself. It was obvious he was worried about Lily, he had a right to be! If Emma got her hands on her then it was bye bye Lily. She hated Alice and would do anything to hurt her. Her mums friends had once told her that her mum had kidnapped a kid years ago and killed her, not before she tortured her though….she knew ALL about that!

What if her mum didn't call the police to collect her though? What then? Would she be forced to go with these people? Certainly not right? Just coz she's famous Alice couldn't do that! The again you heard about famous people buying kids all the time! Her mum would say this was a singular opportunity but she didn't want it, she didn't want to be some famous persons kid!

Danny had his head bowed in his hands while Alice sat and studied Lauren and her body language, it was interesting. Being an actress she knew the importance of taking into account all aspects of your body when acting. It was no good acting like you loved someone if your body indicated you hated them. Sometimes the body spoke more than words ever could and this girl's kept changing. Going from cocky to closed and then to scared stiff. Her arms were crossed tightly almost in defence and she made herself as small as possible. Not to mention her face…..Danny's face…. And those eyes, they darted all around the room resting on her and Danny momentarily before they moved on again. She was trying so hard to be cavalier and nonchalant and while this might fool a lot of people Alice knew a mask when she saw one, she worked with people who pretended after all.

"You ok?" Alice asked again.

"Aye." Lauren answered. A single syllable and stared at the wall opposite.

"I recognise your accent, you never did say if you lived in Newcastle. Are you on holiday?"

"Ya divn't have to pretend to be interested in iz ya na!" Lauren muttered. "Am too common for you!"

"I am interested."

Lauren sighed. "We just moved here" she shrugged. "Nee jobs at home. Nee fixed address there either," then quieted. "Yee divn't have that problem eh?"

Alice noted the girls clothes were old and faded, torn too. Her jeans had seen better days and the jumper was very old. Her trainers almost falling apart. She thought of Lily who had everything she wanted and more. She had riding lessons, two horses in a stables she went to private school and went shopping on a whim. She had forgot that years ago this young girl could have been her. It was hard. "I'm very lucky." she agreed. She got paid so much for a job she loved. "We're both vets at home too. We have a vetinary surgery."

"Budgies and rabbits. Sounds really glamorous!" sarcasm thick in her tone.

"Lions, giraffes, the odd hippo, Leopards Cheetah."

Lauren sat up. "You own a zoo?"

"No we own a game reserve at South Africa, we have land filled with animals, a surgery, pens a huge house and a wind fan which I love!"

In her minds eye Lauren saw a flash of a hat sun and brown dust, the scent of the land after it rained was around her and she was filled with happiness. Water was trickling, when she turned she saw a small girl in a fountain with a man and was moving towards them. "C'min Lauren!" the girl laughed. She fell inside the water trying to climb in, before she could panic gentle hands picked her up and she saw the woman before her in her mind. "You ok Lauren?"

"Lauren?" the same voice asked and she jumped.

"Um yeah…." voice shuddering, chest heaving. The mask slipped back in place but the feelings still remained. "Am good. That's jobs sounds cool." she nodded. "So is the fountain." she added absently.

Alice looked at her closer. "How did you know we have a fountain?"

"You said."

Alice shook her head. "No I didn't….did you, did you see a fountain in your head?"

Lauren was frowning. "No, ah just guessed, ah thought you said fountain that's all." the girl was fidgeting and Alice could tell she was struggling so she backed off.

Danny got up suddenly and checked his watch. "Why haven't they said anything about Lily! It's been hours!" he was trying not to ignore Lauren but he couldn't believe they were going through this again.

Alice was trying not to focus too much on the terror coursing through her. This time it was Danny falling apart while last time he had been calm, assuring her that Lauren would be home soon.

"But the gunshots! Lily!" he fisted his hands in his hair.

At the mention of the name Lauren seemed to blanche. She recovered but Alice still noticed it, Alice began to wonder. She turned to Lauren. "Why were you at the studios?" especially the offices, not much chance of seeing an actor/actress up there!

"Trying to get a catch sight of me favourite actor Connor Lescott." Lauren lied smoothly. "Maybe get a autograph, I got lost."

Alice nodded satisfied. "I worked with him in this film. Lily thinks its cool I get paid to kiss people." Alice kept her eyes trained on Laurens face and put emphasis on the name Lily.

On cue her face seemed to change. So the tick wasn't a figment of her imagination!

"How old is Lily?" Lauren asked softly.

"Twelve, her birthday is April seventh. She is thirteen next year."Lauren nodded, the significance of the date not seeming to occur to her.

There was a loud knock on the door, Danny stood up and went to the door. "Lily?" he asked the officer stood there. At his word a figure appeared and flung herself in his arms. "Dad!" Lily cried.

Danny held his girl tightly unwilling to let her go. "Oh my god!" he breathed. And tears filled his eyes. He bent down and kissed her head. Pulled back to look at her and ran a hand down her face. Alice came over and wrapped her arms around both of them.

Lauren sat there, in the corner of the room, alone playing with the rung pull on her can until it snapped. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the way they surrounded Lily. Lily with her designer clothes, the sunglasses alone were probably worth more than her whole wardrobe at home! Look at the way they babied her, Lauren thought deriviously they were so gentle….. There had been precious little of that in her life, she rubbed her arm absently. At that moment she hated Lily! At the bottom of her jacket she saw a scar peeking and she pulled it down covering it. Even in the heat of summer she kept her jumper on. Her arms evoking questions she didn't like to answer. She hadn't ever been swimming because of it! Cigarette burns were the thing of choice, there was always the belt, whatever her mum had to hand. Even a knife once! Lauren could sit quietly, but even breathing too loud could still that would let her off. She learned to be invisible but it didn't help.

"It's not only that…" the officer continued.

Danny looked up.

"We received the faxed information regarding Lauren Trevanion from Johannesburg and compared them to hers." pointed to Lauren. "They are a perfect match."

Danny and Alice froze at the words.

"A DNA test is still needed to be sure but the fingerprints are conclusive." then he left the room to get them some paperwork.

Danny and Alice turned and looked at the girl slouching on the sofa playing with the ring pull of her can, lost in thought. She looked up at them and noticed the staring. "What? Take a picture it'll last longer!" shook her head and crossed her arms.

Danny and Alice turned to each other unable to believe that he daughter they hadn't seen in seven years was sat there and as mouthy as her twin, if not more.

"Mum? Dad?" Lily asked then noticed Lauren. "What is she doing here? This is all her….."

"She?" Lauren stood up. "Hello, I have a name ya na and you might be famous Alice Collins daughter but it won't stop me from popping you one on the jaw!"

The breath escaped Alice, she had said almost the exact same words to Lynsey! This was too much!

"You think I'm scared of you?" her t-shirt coated in her own blood, her face bruising but she still took a step forward. "I took kick boxing from the age of six until eleven."

Lauren smirked cockily. "I don't need lessons. Naturally talented!"

"Calm down!" Danny requested

Lily was mutinous.

"Ya think at better than me wi ya clothes an ya kick boxing and ya famous mam but howay lets face it you're not. We're the same. The difference between us is money, nowt else!"

"No the difference between us is my mum and dad are here and yours aren't!" Lily's voice superior. Alice hated it when she put on that voice. "My parents love me, how long have you been waiting? Or do you even have a mum and dad?" looked her up and down and dismissed her.

Lauren moved towards her to tear her head off, it didn't matter if you had the most rubbish parents in the world, no one was allowed to bad mouth them!

Danny released Lily and went to Lauren, put his hands on her shoulders.

Lauren looked up at him. "Do ya want to take ya hands off iz reet now!" a threat evident in her tone.. Although she made it sound like a request it was obviously an order.

"Look girls, sit down please." Alice asked. Girls, oh God! Plural! Two! How long had she dreamed of this? Unfortunately in the dream her daughters didn't want to kill each other. It made a twisted kind of sense seeing how she and Danny acted when they first met.

"Ah didn't have to listen to yee!" Lauren shouted. "Me da'll be here soon!"

"No Lauren." Alice told her softly. "Your dad is right here." and looked towards Danny.

Lauren looked between Alice and Danny. "No way!" I was told…."

"NO way!" Lily yelled at the same time. "He's my dad not hers!"

"Who told you what?" Danny asked Lauren.

"Look at them." Alice told Lily.

Lily looked between her dad and Lauren and she was identical to her dad, her name too…."Lauren?" she whispered.

Alice nodded. "She's your sister Lily, Lauren is your twin."

Lauren came to life. "Twin? She looks nowt like iz!"

"You're non identical twins. Two separate eggs but you have the same birthday, born twelve minutes apart and spent every moment together before… It was my friend Mandy, without her we'd only have one of you."

"Ya ALL crazy!" Lauren exclaimed starting to freak out. "I know who me mam is!"

"I agree!" Lily seconded. "THAT is not related to me, twin or not!"

"That?" Lauren bristled. This lass just kept pushing her luck!

"What's the matter?" Lily asked snidely. "Is a four letter word too much for you!"

Lauren had reached her limit and lunged for Lily. Danny caught her and held her back.

"Alice you take Lauren. I'm gonna take Lily." Danny told her.

"You stay with Lauren." Alice asked, she felt more comfortable with Lily.

"She doesn't trust me. Go on." and he released Lauren, took Lily's arm and left. He felt her wince when they were outside. He looked closely and saw the padding on her shoulder.

"What happened?" he asked.

She carried on walking. "Dad tell me it isn't true." she pleaded.

"It's true."

"But she can't be! I always imagined her as someone nice!"

"Think of it in her point of view Lil's. she has just found out that the only life she can remember is a lie and she has to live somewhere else, with people she doesn't know and oh yeah, she has a twin who she didn't know existed."

Lily pondered. "Suppose it explains how I knew what she was thinking." she murmured.

"What?"

"When I was talking to her I looked in her eyes and….I dunno, I got these feelings that told me if she was lying and how she was feeling. It was weird." shook her head.

Danny was taken aback.

They walked outside and sat down.

"Your shoulder?"

She shrugged. "I fell."

"Is that all?" ran his hand down her hair.

Lily closed her eyes and everything she went though was at the front of her mind. She bent doubly covering her face. Danny pulled her close. "Ssshhh its alright." he crooned. "You're safe."

"She had me in the car dad! I panicked I didn't know what to do!" tears falling faster. "All I could remember was how you and mum told me never to get in a strangers car."

He rubbed her back almost raging at the woman who terrorised Lily.

"And she told me she was going to kill me like she killed Lauren! She said she cut her throat!"

His arms tightened around her. "We'll be home soon but first you have to tell the police everything you know."

"I never saw her face dad. She was always behind me and then hit me my eyes were blurry ages."

He kissed her forehead. "Lauren mustn't have been random all those years ago., not with what you are saying. We need to tell the police everything and when Lauren does they'll finally catch her!"

Lily pulled away. Lauren won't talk, I know it! She's working with her! She tried to make me leave with her to take me to her I'm sure of it!"

"Did she ask you to go with her?"

"No but I could read it in her eyes! I don't trust her dad! She wasn't acting normal, something doesn't feel right."

"You just need to get to know her Lily, she's your sister!"

"NO! Because of her I was almost shot!"

His heart stopped for a moment. "Shot?"

"I got away from her and she was shooting at me, a bullet grazed my arm, thankfully I shifted or it would have been my chest! That was my so called sisters doing!" she seethed. "So NO she isn't my sister, she died on a beach seven years ago when we were five. The Lauren in there? She tried to hurt me. Tried to take me to the person who called my twin and that makes her the enemy!"

"Lils!"

But Lily had already headed inside, he followed her so they could talk to the police.

**A/N Well it looks like Lauren is actually their daughter…..wow….the plot thickens….there are plenty of secrets she is hiding. But she seems to have a softer side and does feel guilt…..sometimes. However Alice has her doubts and Lily is suspicious…..watch this space The next chapter it starts to become clear what is going on! x**

**shout out to Stephen Tompkins on in this chapter as he is a originally a Geordie lad (before he moved to Blackpool) well he's from Teesside which is slightly down the river from Newcastle and he was in fact in a program called Grafters and he sounds well weird doing a Geordie accent. Love where am from Geordies FTW!**

**straight up without checked so sorry for any mistakes I couldn't be bothered to check almost 5000 words x**


	11. Pinned

It was after ten o'clock that night when Danny, Alice and the girls returned to the hotel room. Lily had fell asleep in the room in the police station, head rested on her dad's lap. Danny's hand rubbing her back rhythmically, something was bugging her as she hadn't left his side upon returning from ther interview. Lauren hadn't talked or moved at all since Danny left with Lily, she and Alice had looked at each other awkwardly not saying a word.

The reason they had to wait around was to get the all clear from the social services to take Lauren with them, until they did she was technically a ward of the state. It finally came through, Alice's expensive solicitor finally earning some of the enormous salary they paid him. He had filed papers and they would be seen by a judge in the morning, in the meantime they were free to take her. Now they were back Lily was asleep in the bedroom and Lauren sat watching them on the sofa quiet, eerie and completely expressionless. The only time she had shown any sign of life at all had been when she walked into the hotel.

"Holy sh…."

Alice gave her a look which curbed the language. The night receptionist spoke to her as she passed and Alice replied and gave her a smile. Danny was practically propping Lily up as they walked to the room. Her put her straight to bed taking off her shoes and laying the blanket over her. The door was ajar, Lauren sat on the chair and Danny and Alice on the sofa.

"Bet ya wondering what to dee with iz eh?" Lauren asked cockily. "Its alreet just drop iz in the nearest orphanage, ah divn't mind."

"No." Danny told her. "We're going to take you home, get you started in school and move on with our lives."

"And me life here?" Lauren hissed crossing her arms. "Ah divn't wanna go wi yee! Am English not….."

"You're not English." Danny interrupted. "You have parents born in Britain which makes us British and enables you two to have British passports but you are South African, born and raised."

Lauren narrowed her eyes. "Am not your Lauren ya na this DNA test will prove it!"

"Your fingerprints are Lauren's. Fingerprints don't change and are unique. Not to mention you look like me." Danny told her.

"Ah na a lad who looks like Taylor Lautner doesn't mean he's his son!"

"Look Lauren its late I'll get you some clothes for you to sleep in. Tomorrow we'll start again ok?" Danny asked. Alice hadn't said a word during the exchange.

Lauren however sighed.

"Stay away from the windows tomorrow." Alice told her robotically.

"Why? Ashamed of iz? Am ah too common?"

"No actually the reporters will get wind of you sooner or later and they will do anything to get a picture of you, trust me, anything!"

"Jesus." Lauren whispered and walked into the bathroom. Danny got her one of Lily's nighties and knocked on the door. Lauren appeared took it, showered and was soon tucked up in bed with Lily.

Alice sat on the sofa, she could barely keep track of today's events, Lauren was asleep in the next room! Lily had almost been kidnapped. Danny approached her with a glass of amber liquid.

"Here it'll calm your nerves."

She knocked it back and grimaced as it burned as it went down. He sat opposite her on the coffee table. "Today has been surreal." she murmured. "What happened Danny? I….I don't know what to say."

He scratched his head thoughtfully. "We got out daughter back…."

Alice's heart was pounding as she considered her next words. "Did we?"

"Course we did, Lauren is in there with Lily, together like we always wanted."

"I don't know Danny." Alice shook her head. "Something feels off. Last time I felt like this was when our house burned down."

He got up, sat beside her and took her hands in his. "You need to get some sleep."

She shook her head. "If she is Lauren there is stuff to do. She needs a passport, clothes, school. I want to get out of London now!" she tried to get up but he tugged her back down and cupped her cheek.

"Calm down, sit and breathe."

She shook her head not meeting his eyes. "I can't."

He saw the raw pain in her face. "Why sweetheart."

She leaned forward and rested her head on his chest, "If I do then I'll wake up."

He ran a hand down her hair, his head close to her ear. "You are awake sweetheart." pressed a kiss to her cheek.

She shook her head, it still hadn't moved from its spot. "And if I'm not awake and I wake up in five minutes then I think I'll lose it. What if you aren't here? What if I'm really alone in this hotel and this is just a really vivid dream?"

"I've never lied to you right?" he whispered breath tickling her neck. "I have never broke a promise in all the years we've been together and I promise that if you go to sleep, me, Lily AND Lauren will be right here when you wake up." he kissed her cheek again. "Trust me."

"I trust you with my life." she admitted.

"Because you know I'll do anything to keep you from harm."

She sniffed and looked up at him. "I really love you, you know that?"

He nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Goes double for me." ran a hand down her cheek. "Now go shower and change and I'll see if I can move Lily so you can bunk with the girls. You know what she's like though, sleeps like a log."

Alice shook her head. "Its bad enough Lauren is in with Lily, both of us might feel like an ambush. I'll have the sofa."

He smiled and nodded. "I'll order some food."

"I'm not…." she tried to protest but he halted her when he raised his eyebrows. She relented and gave him a real wide smile. "Ok, you win."

As soon as Alice was gone he dropped onto the sofa and closed his eyes tightly. All he could feel at the moment was the frantic pounding of his heart, he was on the verge of hyperventilating but focused himself and it passed. He got up, shook his arms and legs trying to rid himself of the tension and went for the phone. He ordered two toasties for him and Alice, nothing too heavy. The perks of being at an extortionately priced hotel, all day food. After that he walked into the bedroom to check on his girls. Lily was on the left, sprawled out on her stomach mouth slightly agape her hand holding a pillow to her head. He could hear her soft breathing fill the room. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead and ran a hand down her soft hair. To the right lay Lauren, she was at the edge of the bed and in a tight ball, even asleep she was frowning and she made no sound at all, it was almost like she wasn't there. He knew better than to approach her, she didn't know him, or trust him and him even looking at her asleep may be cause for concern for her so he simply pulled the blanket over her, as it slipped down and left the room. As he closed the door there was a knock. Alice was still in the shower so Danny answered it, a man with a trolley was waiting. Danny tipped him and brought it inside. Alice walked out of the bathroom rubbing her hair with a white towel. She was in bed shorts and a pink vest top and the sight took his breath away.

"What you get?" She noticed him staring and looked down at herself. "What? Did I put my clothes on backwards?"

He shook his head. "No it isn't that, you're just so beautiful."

Alice blushed having no idea why, they were married after all.

"I don't think I've told you that in a while." he murmured.

She shook her head. "You haven't."

"Well it's passed time." went to her and wrapped her in his arms. "You are my wife and as beautiful as the day I met you," kissed her softly. "Even more so, as now I know that your soul is as beautiful as your face."

"My mum used to say I was an angel with a dirty face." she laughed. "What does that say about my soul?"

He made a considering face then laughed. "You're crazy!"

She twined her arms around his neck, "I know, and you my man are stuck with me."

"Good!" and he kissed her softly. Pulled back and inhaled. "You smell lovely."

She shot him another smile. What was it about him that even on the hardest days he managed to coax a smile out of her? He then went into his pocket and pulled out a sleeve of tablets, pressed them into her hand. "They'll help you sleep."

"Danny…." and pulled free.

"I promise I'll stay awake and guard the bedroom door if I have to, and we're that high up that no one is gonna be able to get in are they?" he knew that was why she always got rooms on the higher floors. She walked to the trolley and picked up a plate.

He made a face. "You angry at me?"

She didn't say a word, just picked at her toastie. He went up behind the sofa where she sat. "Talk to me."

She picked up the remote and turned the TV on.

"Ok, you leave me no choice."

He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, she knew what was coming and relented. He was gonna give her a cold shower! "OK OK! She declared.

He nodded and set her back down on the sofa. "When you're boiling mad like that there's only one thing for it."

She narrowed her eyes. "I hate you."

He gave her his winning smile and he saw her eyes glaze for a second. "No you don't." then retrieved his own plate and sat beside her. She moved closer and he put his arm around her shoulders. They sat in silence as the TV droned softly in the background. He was eating and she was picking at her toastie watching some unknown romcom on TV, she tried to restrain a yawn...and failed badly.

"I wish you'd sleep." he told her. "You can't stay awake forever."

"Who can't?" she scoffed.

He looked down at her. "You aren't superwoman love."

She sat up. "I'll have you know I am, I have to do something while you sleep."

He laughed. "Superwoman?" lowered his head closer to her ear. "Why am I stronger than you then?"

"You're not!"

Without warning he moved lightning quick and had her pinned on the sofa, arms above her head. She tried to move but he held her solidly. "I so wished you'd say that."

Her face mutinous she tried to jerk her arms free.

"Well?" he asked simply.

"I'm letting you win." face indignant.

He dropped a kiss on her lips. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yes."

He kissed her again, lingering for a second. "Really?"

"Mmm hmm." her voice breathless as her head floated away.

This time when he kissed her he took no prisoners, she anticipated the kiss this time and ignored the feelings the touch of his lips were awakening. She forced her body to go limp and she pretended to snore. Danny froze and looked down at her. Her eyes popped open and she turned quickly. They fell off the sofa onto the floor, this time she was above him. He was pinned between the sofa, coffee table her hands pushing his chest down, her hips straddling his.

"Well?" she echoed him from earlier.

He laughed and Alice loved the rumbly sound. "You win sweetheart, always and forever."

She leant her forehead on his, then leant down, gave him a sweet chaste kiss and stood up, offered him her hand and helped him up. They sat down on the sofa and she took the tablets from him this time. Her head rested on his shoulder she allowed her lids to grow heavy.

"Remember when I thought I could live without you?" she murmured slurred.

"Yeah."

"So glad I changed my mind. So glad I finally found you."

"Me too sweetheart." and he kissed her head softly.

Alice's breathing was slow and deep, he held her close, arms tight.

**A/N this chapter wasn't originally written but i decided to write some danice fluff as a celebration that i handed in another assignment today :D YIPPEE another bites the dust! I LOVE danice fluff :D  
anyway kicks back in next chappie and you start seeing a different side to Lauren, but is it her real side? x**


	12. True Colours

Lauren came awake slowly, saw cream walls and soft white bedding around her and sat up sharply when she didn't recognise her surroundings. She had expected to be in her cold draughty room back in a small flat in the bad part of London. She looked around groggily, saw Lily asleep to her left and everything came back to her in a rush. Ok, she had to get out of here - now! The truth would come out soon enough and then she'd be in massive trouble! Plus Danny and Alice were planning on taking her to South freaking Africa to live on their game reserve! I mean howay man, what was she expected to do then? She slipped out of the bed soundlessly and crept to the door, opened it and left the room. She jumped when she saw Danny on the sofa with a cup of coffee in his hand. Alice's' head beside his leg, her eyes closed.

He heard the door and looked towards her. Immediately she felt self conscious, Lily's pyjamas were far too big and rolling them up had failed!

"Morning." he said.

"Time is it?" she asked, voice rough.

"Just after six, go back to bed, it's early."

She shook her head. "Once am up am up." fidgeted with the sleeve of her top.

"Me too." he agreed. "Lily however finds it criminal to be up before ten if she isn't in school." he smiled.

"What about Alice." and she motioned her head to the woman lain on the sofa beside Danny.

He moved some hair from his wife's face and Lauren saw the devotion written all over his face.

Lauren wondered how could he love someone who did such bad things?

"She's an early bird too, you get used to it being a vet, Alice only went to sleep a few hours ago. She had to take a tablet. Yesterday was tough on her."

Lauren raised her head as an affirmative.

"Are you hungry? We can order breakfast?" he offered.

Lauren shook her head. "Ah didn't want to be a bother."

"You're not!" he assured.

Lauren so wanted to trust the look on his face…..but the men in her mums life weren't always nice and she knew better than to take anything from them! "Am fine."

"Ok." he breathed.

Lauren sat down in a chair and picked up a magazine Lily had bought the other day. "Do you mind if I read this?"

"Go ahead." He smiled. "So you read those too? Lily and Alice swear by them."

Lauren flicked through and Danny tried not to stare at her. It seemed unreal to him that after all these years, after all the tears and heartbreak his daughter was sat right there.

"Alice is in here." she murmured.

"is she?" Danny asked.

She showed him a page and there Alice was, in a street in London, sunglasses perched on her hair, in shorts and a t-shirt. Ipod plugged in her ears jogging.

"Is is weird for ya? Having a wife in the papers all the time?" Lauren asked.

"I can't say I'll ever fully get used to it." he admitted. His hand absently rubbing his wifes hair. "But we try not to let it phase us. We learned early on not to be too spontaneous. The only time we were was…."

"What?" Lauren asked genuinely interested.

"When we lost you. Because of that there is seven years we'll never get back. I mean I'm over the moon you're here now but I'll always mourn those years."

Lauren cleared her throat not knowing how to reply.

"Do you…." Danny began then shook his head.

"You're asking if I remember it?" she sighed, frowned then shook her head. "Na, I don't really remember owt from being a bairn."

"What about Lily?" he asked. "A feeling?"

She raised her eyebrows. "You assume I'm your Lauren."

"I have no doubt that you are." he told her seriously. "I see so much of Alice in you. You're feisty like her and have her attitude. You're quick with your retorts and on your feet. You have a mask you like to wear which sometimes slips." she had her mums vulnerability too, although he didn't add that.

"Ah think ya ganna be disappointed like." she paused. "But no, ah don't get any feelings about Lily. Well except for dislike an wanting to kick her head in sometimes! And I know she feels the same without having that twin connection!" she wasn't joking about the kick her head in comment but pretended to for his sake.

Danny smiled, Lauren had a funny sense of humour.

They settled into silence. Lauren studied the picture of Alice intently. She saw nothing of herself in her face, now Lily looked like her. But Danny…..that was another story. "How come me and Lily are supposed to be twins but look nothing alike? I mean aren't they supposed to look the same?"

"Your mums best friend Mandy wanted to make sure she got pregnant as soon as possible so she was crushing pills in her breakfast to make her ovulate. We're lucky to only have two. Some people are know to have four or five!"

Laurens eyes widened. "How'd Alice take it?"

He grinned. "Alice laughed when she found out. Mandy is brilliant and me and Alice didn't mind. We had planned a big family so having more than one made no difference to us."

"So is there more kids at home?" Lauren asked.

He shook his head. "Plans sort of became delayed."

"Oh." she breathed.

"Me and Alice are lucky. Some couples never recover from something like this. We're strong though, always have been." he glanced at Alice again and Lauren saw the love in his eyes.

"Ya na if the DNA comes back negative will ya let is gan?"

Danny hadn't considered the DNA coming back negative, it just didn't seem like a possibility. What Lily told him about Lauren being dead popped in his mind. "We'll just see what the DNA says then go from there."

She leaned forward. "Am not being anyones replacement kid!"

"Look I know you don't know us yet but I am certain you are a Trevanion! You look like me and act like your mum and sister and that is all I need to know. I want to put all of us this behind us."

"You assume Emma will let iz gan." Lauren shook her head. "Emma will die first! She's put too much work into iz!"

"Is that her name? The woman who had you? Emma?"

"Who my mums name?" Lauren nodded. "Yep, Emma."

"Lauren your mum is….."

Lauren held her hand up and halted him. "You say she…" pointed to Alice. "Is my mum?" shook her head again. "No, Emma raised me! And she may have done a shit job but she is still the only mum I remember! And before you ask for her surname you aren't getting it coz you'll tell the police and have her locked up. I have my loyalty! She isn't me mam and you aren't me dad, get used to it!" and with that Lauren stood up, walked to the bathroom and left Danny alone.

The next time Lauren came out the room was empty apart from Alice asleep, she found a puzzle book on the coffee table along with a pen and a note which said it was for her as she might be bored, she smiled at Danny's thoughtfulness and picked them up. As she did she saw Alice's pillow on the floor. Her eyes were soon frozen on Alice's face. She slept like Lily, on her stomach. The familiar hate began to swell and she once again looked at the pillow on the floor. This was her chance! she could pick it up, put it across Alice's face and it'd be over! She'd have done what her mum wanted and they'd be happy! Then again there was Lily to factor in, maybe she could ring her mum and find out what to do…..she needed a mobile though, landlines were too easily traced. Time! That was what they needed. Doing it half assed would mean she went wrong somewhere.

Alice began to move, she opened her eyes and rubbed them.

Lauren sat down.

Alice spotted her on the chair. "Good morning."

Lauren sat back and crossed her arms. "Now that remains to be seen."

Alice sat up running a hand through her hair. "How are you this morning?"

Lauren shrugged giving her a non committal answer.

Alice checked the clock. "You're up early, you get it from your dad, I love a lie in."

Lauren nodded. "He said, we spoke earlier on."

Alice swallowed and yawned.

Lauren leaned forward and smirked. "Don't you want to know what about?"

"If Danny wants me to know he'll tell me, we have absolute trust."

Lauren frowned, she had no idea how to reply to that, an idea came to her. "I'll tell you, I'm sure he won't mind. He told me he's sure I'm your Lauren."

"We're both sure."

Her face was cold. "Are you? Really?"

Alice adopted the same expression. "Yes!"

Lauren shrugged "Then he asked iz if ah remember being kidnapped."

Alice sat up straight. "He what?" she snapped.

"I don't of course." Lauren continued conversationally. "I remember very little about being a bairn. I wonder why." she shrugged. "I could have blocked it out, repressed it. Why wouldn't I want to you remember you?" her voice colder than before.

Lauren and Alice stared at each other. Alice couldn't believe that such a malevolent look was on the face of her daughter….on Danny's face!

Lauren then smiled sardonically. "Of course it could be something else. Who knows!" she said maliciously.

"If you have something to say Lauren say it!" Alice demanded.

"Am not trying to say anything Alice!" Sat back again and crossed her arms. Hate for Alice shining from her eyes.

Alice stood up and went to leave.

"Oh yeah…." Lauren went on. "Danny said I'm like you and Lily too. Do you see it mother. Is little Lily in me?" eyes trained on Alice's head unblinking.

Alice craned her head. "Why are you provoking me?"

Her face was suddenly the picture of innocence. "Who me?" she gestured. "Never." then she smiled like she was pleased with herself, voice tinged with the thrill of victory.

Danny used his card to enter the room. Alice already in a bad mood turned on him. "What are you doing asking her about what happened?"

Danny's jaw dropped. "What?" he gasped. "Alice sweetheart what's wrong?"

"Don't sweetheart me!" she snapped. "And don't talk to her about stuff without consulting me first ok!" and stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Danny looked at Lauren perplexed.

Lauren shrugged. "I told her we spoke and she asked me what you said she was really suspicious. I said you'd tell ah and she got really pushy! I thought she was gonna go scatty on iz!"

That didn't sound like Alice he mused.

"I think she had a bad dream or something. She seemed to be in a bad mood." her voice low, face dejected.

Danny fell for it. "That's not your fault, Alice is stressed out right now.I'll go see her and you can talk." he went to the bathroom door and knocked.

"No, al go in there so yas can have some privacy." and headed for the bedroom. She was unprepared for an irate Lily. When she closed the door she was being held against it, Lily holding a handful of her collar.

"Am warning ya now, get ya hands off iz!" Lauren hissed. "Ya divn't na what am capable of!"

"Am I supposed to be scared?" lily asked. "I want you to go in there and tell my dad you lied!"

Lauren laughed. "Now why would I do that? Am having so much fun!"

"I'm not messing around Lauren" You aren't breaking up my family just because it amuses you!"

"Am ya long lost sister Lil!" put her hands on Lily's shoulders, pressed down, raised her knee fast and impacted Lily's stomach. Lily fell to the floor and hit out but Lauren moved swiftly and stomped on her stomach in the same place her captor did. The air whooshed from lily's lungs and she was panting badly winded. Lauren knelt down on her haunches. "Now am warning ya again Lily don't mess with me! I can get rid of ya went ah want!" she hissed. "One phone call to me mums friends and ya gone!"

"Mum and dad are gonna love hearing that!" Lily gasped.

Lauren grabbed a handful of Lily's hair and pulled her face closer, "Really? Who is Danny and Alice gonna believe me or you?" Lauren saw Laurens eyes flare when she mentioned Danny and tried again. "Alice might believe ya, but will Danny? Will your dad?" Lauren looked her in the eye and saw her react again to her dad's name. So her relationship with Danny was weak. This she could use.

"He'll believe me!" Lily told her. "He loves me! He loves me more than you, he told me!"

"Maybe!" Lauren hissed. "Watch this!" and in a blink of an eye she was in tears, they were falling down her face fast. It looked like she was falling apart and her voice was shuddering. "Why would she say those things dad?" Lauren moaned. "I think she blames me for what happened! Help me dad, help me convince her that I just want to be her sister! Help me make mum love me! I'm so confused trying to fit in, I don't know what I've done wrong!" another blink and the tears and sadness were gone replaced by an triumphant face. "Now tell me who he's gonna believe!"

Lily stared up at her gob smacked. If possible Lauren was a better actress than their mum! She gulped.

"Seem like ah got something from dear old mum!" pulled Lily face closer and there was a look of hate over her face. "SO Lily, who are they gonna believe? Me, their long lost child. Or you, the one Danny pretended was his favourite."

"I am!" Lily spat.

"NO! he settled for you!" Lauren hissed gloating. "Who else did he have, I was gone!"

Lily tried to deny it but she couldn't. Tears began to well and the lump in her throat choked her. She bit her lip trying vainly to stop them from falling.

There was a knock on the door. "Lauren?"

"Wait there Danny, am trying on once of Lily's tops see it if fits."

"Ok." he replied.

Lauren released Lily and she fell to the floor, her head bouncing off it. She stood up and dusted her hands off and rolled her shoulders. Lily got up too.

"Ok Danny, am ready." shot Lily a look in warning then pasted a neutral expression.

Oh god! Lily thought, she was good! He would never believe her! She forced the tears away and pretended to be tired.

Danny walked in and spotted Lily.

"Morning Lils."

"Hey dad." she whispered.

He looked at her, her tone wasn't the same. "You ok Lils?" her arms were crossed and her eyes were averted.

"We had a disagreement over her clothes. I put on ah favourite top." Lauren smiled and shrugged. "My bad!"

Lily nodded. "Am still tired too."

Danny smiled. "Girls and their clothes! Did you find anything that fit?"

Lauren shook her head. "All too long."

"Not to worry, we're going shopping today to get you some new stuff." Danny told her. "That should cheer you up Lil, you love shopping."

"A chance to bond with my sis!" Lauren cheered, went to her and put her arm around her shoulders. "I love shopping too."

Lily jerked her shoulders and Laurens arm fell off. "Don't touch me!" Lily hissed.

Lauren looked at Danny, her face hurt.

"Lily be nice!" Danny told her.

Lily clenched her fists. "Don't try to ram her down my throat father!" then stomped into the living room.

"What did I do?" Lauren whispered.

"She's crabby when she's tired." he told her.

Lily exhaled as she walked into the living area. Looked at her mum who was rubbing her head, her face stressed.

**A/N ooooo lauren takes no prisoners! she provokes alice threatens lily and is trying to put a wedge between alice and danny...but why? the plot thickens! she kinda has a soft spot for danny tho...hmmm...and lily, she started it, lauren took it too far tho. i think the thing to remember with lauren is she is only 12 and has been through alot...some of which you don't know yet... oh and she manipulates danny far too easily!  
anyway you learned something new, the person who lauren has been with is called emma. (her name was mentioned twice in chapter 10)...so a new character hmmmmm where does she fit in?  
there are so many directions i could take this so stay tuned for more! x**

**(PS) tell me what you think of lauren good or bad, i'd like to know just for future chapters...thanks for reading and reviewing x**


	13. What Are They?

Danny, Alice, Lily and Lauren were walking around some shops in London. Lauren had been measured and was about the right height and weight for her age, the only sticking point was she wouldn't take her jumper off so she could be measured properly for fitted clothes. She point blank refused. It was a scorcher of a day and she didn't even roll the sleeves of her jumper up. No one understood why she wouldn't but they eventually relented.

Now she and Danny were walking down an aisle, Danny pointing out clothes intermittedly. Lauren spoke to him easily, feeling none of the earlier discomfort. Alice watched them concerned, Alice wasn't worried about Lauren, it was Lily. She seemed to be completely disinterested in the shopping, and that wasn't her!

"Lils you ok?" Alice asked slowing down to walk beside her. Lily glanced at some t-shirts by her side and made a face.

"Yeah." Lily sighed.

"I know that sigh Lil, what's up?"

Lily looked at her mum needing to tell her what happened with Lauren…..but what if Lauren was right, what if they didn't believe her? And she refused to take that chance. "I'm…." she glanced past her mum as a man entered her line of vision. He seemed to be trying to edge closer to them covertly, and failing badly.

"Reporter at twelve o'clock." Lily whispered and cocked her head forward a little.

Alice looked behind her and saw a man going in his pocket. "Danny!" she warned.

Danny knew immediately what she meant and moved so Laurens face was shielded, Alice did the same for Lily. After the reporter snapped a few photos of Danny and Alice's back Alice took the girls around a corner while Danny made a beeline for the reporter. It had the desired effect and he made a ruin for it. Danny instead of letting him go ran after him.

Lily used to this sort of this was completely unphased, Lauren kept on looking behind her to see what was going on. "What happened? Where's Danny gannin?"

Alice shook her head. "Don't worry, someone just tried to take some pictures of you two. We weren't sure how long we were followed so Danny is going to get his camera."

"We get this a lot." Lily told her snidely. "But you don't know that do you?"

Lauren shot her a dark look.

"Lily!" Alice scolded. "But Lily is right." she turned to Lauren. "You need to keep your eyes open because this can happen a lot depending on where we are, pictures of the two of you are wanted too as we keep you out of the public eye and out of the limelight."

Lauren nodded then looked the other way.

"We'll get the both of you out of here, we got you some clothes anything else we can get at home." I have faxed some photos of you to my solicitor and he's sorting you a passport we should be out of here in a few days."

Lauren was feeling a little overwhelmed. She knew that she had things arriving at the hotel and more stuff at their home in Africa. Alice and Danny were just buying her all this stuff and not even looking at how much it cost, even encouraging her to pick stuff out for herself. She'd never had this before. Her mum hadn't had much spare money to spend on her, although if she did Lauren didn't know about it. All of her clothes had been hand me downs and she had no idea where they came from!

Danny was approaching a camera in his hand.

"You catch him?" Alice asked.

"Sure did." he told her. "I wiped the photos off his big camera and took this disposable away. I'm getting sued again." he told her. "He's saying I hit him and apparently he's traumatised. I should have bloody hit him!" he told her. "No bloody privacy!"

"Carl will deal with it." Alice replied feeling defeated. Sick of this way of life.

Danny pulled her close for a hug. "We'll be home soon, out own little patch of privacy yeah?"

Lily was looking through some clothes, Lauren was watching Danny and Alice and the tenderness in which Danny treated her. Lauren rubbed her head. When had parents and partners been about tenderness? She had been taught that it was about doing anything to help your loved one get what they needed. In her mums case as soon as her mum got revenge then she would love her and hug her. Parents didn't just love you for nothing did they? Her hands started to fist in her hair as the thought kept whizzing around her head tormenting her.

"Lauren?" Danny asked.

"Ignore her she's crazy!" Lily advised. "I'd leave her here!"

Laurens head whipped around and she glared. "Just give iz a reason!" she hissed.

Danny took Lily's arm. "You won't talk about Lauren like that! She is your sister and if you two can't get along you will treat each other civilly and with respect! Do you understand me Lily?"

Lily looked at her dad with wide eyes and nodded mutely. Danny started leading them all out of the shop, their car had arrived. Alice walked alongside Lily.

"It'll be alright you know." she whispered

Lily scoffed. "Will it? Things are already changing and not for the better!" she breathed.

Danny looked back at them, waited until they were all in the car and then climbed in.

No one spoke.

* * *

They were all back at the hotel sitting on opposite sides of the room. Almost like the family was divided. Lily and Alice on one side. Lauren and Danny on the other. The girl were glaring at each other. Danny was sorting the mail while Alice was on the phone. Alice put her hand over the receiver.

"Carl said we should be able to get home tomorrow Danny."

He picked up the laptop. "I'll book us tickets."

"Wonder if my horses are ok." Lily mused. "Mum can I ring Cory?"

Alice nodded. "When I'm done."

"Are you interested in horses Lauren?" Danny asked.

Lauren shrugged. "Am not really bothered."

"GOOD!" Lily crowed.

Lauren glared at her. "But I'm sure I can learn Lily!"

"You can stay away from my horses!" Lily hissed.

"Lauren can share your horses until she decides she wants one of her own." Danny told Lily.

Lauren's jaw dropped. "You'd buy me a horse? It's unreal how daft you people are with money like!"

"Do you have interests?" Danny asked typing away on the laptop, ignoring her statement.

Lauren loved the guitar. One of her mums ex's had been in a band and he had taught her how to play when her mum was out. All she wanted since she could remember was her own guitar. Her mums ex had said she was good and picked it up really well. She couldn't read music but taught herself to play by ear. But she didn't want them getting her a guitar, she wouldn't be there that long….she still hadn't had a chance to get in touch with Emma, so she lied to Danny, "Not really, nothing stands out."

"Football? Sports?" he asked.

Lauren raised an eyebrow. "I don't like mud, or sweat!" she replied dryly.

Danny smoked, "You didn't like it as a little girl either. Lily used to tease you all the time."

Lily gave Lauren a smirk. "Dad can we do something?"

"What all of us?"

"No, just me and you." Lily pleaded.

"What do you want to do?"

"Basketball."

"You complain when I win Lily, then you complain when I don't try to win! You forget your mum is the actress not me!"

"I've been practising, c'mon dad. Please." she whined.

Danny, physically unable to say no to his little girl relented. "Ok." he looked to his other daughter. "Lauren?"

"No dad, I'm sure she doesn't want to!" Lily told him quickly shaking her head.

Lauren bristled, she hated having anyone answer for her. "I'd love to!" she said brightly.

Lily ground her teeth together.

"Al just go and change." and Lauren went into the bedroom.

Alice finally put the phone down and exhaled.

"Alice love?" he asked sitting down beside her and taking her hands in his.

She lowered her voice as Lily took the phone.

"I spoke to my solicitor and the police have no idea who this Emma is, they don't have enough to go on. There was no one with that name on the beach that day but from the eye witness accounts no one saw anything anyway! All the security cameras in the hallway were blacked out so they don't even have a picture of her."

Danny pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We have both of the girls here with us safe, thats all that matters."

She rubbed her eyes feeling a headache forming. "Are they safe though?" rubbed her face. "And are we being wise even considering bringing another kid into this kind of life? We couldn't protect Lauren, what if our guard is down for one second and we lose another child? I don't think I could go through that again Danny. I'm terrified to take my eyes off either of them for a second!"

Danny rested his forehead on hers and looked in her eyes. "We won't. I know we won't." ran his hand down her cheek. "I'm taking the girls down to the courts for a while, why don't you go to the spa? Take your phone and tell Mandy where you are making sure to rub it in!"

"She'll want an update on the girls too." Alice added tiredly. "Well an update on Lauren at least."

"Go relax while I go tire out our girls. Lils, go get Lauren will you?"

"Dad I'm on the phone!" she told him pointedly. Plus she'd rather not have to look at her unless she had to!

"I'll get her." Alice offered, knocked on the door and it drifted open. She saw Lauren pulling on a jumper, before her arms were fully covered Alice spotted the criss-crossing of scars that littered her forearms. Alice's eyes widened, "What…." she glanced at Danny, shook her head walked into the room and closed the door.

"What dee ya think ya deein walkin in on iz like that!" Lauren yelled. "Ya well out of order like!"

"Your arm." Alice asked.

Lauren pushed the sleeves of her jumper down, walked towards Alice and tried to shove her out of the way.

Alice refused to be budged, instead she grasped Laurens arm. Lauren glared mutinously but Alice pushed the sleeve up. Immediately saw scars, some old some new, some were white lines, others were small and in the shape of a circle, some thick and ugly. Some were obviously burns. Alice's free hand moved to cover her mouth. Lauren yanked her arm away and swallowed thickly. Again she hid the evidence of what she endured at the hands of Emma.

"Who….what…" Alice gasped.

"I was a bad kid Alice." Lauren hissed.

Alice searched her face. "But…."

"No buts! Ah deserved it. Ah had to learn respect!"

Alice shook her head. "No."

"AYE!" Lauren told her. "And that is all am saying! And don't bother telling Danny, he doesn't need to know ok!"

"I share everything with Danny, especially about you girls. He deserves to know."

Lauren lowered her voice cold and menacing. "Am telling ya not to tell him!"

Alice raised her eyebrows unphased by Laurens display. "You don't tell me anything, you are a child."

"Not your child yet!" Lauren hissed. "An am entitled to me privacy! If ah don't want him to know that's up to me innit!"

Lauren and Alice stared at each other. Alice could feel a vibe flowing off Lauren and relented. "I'll wait until we get confirmation that you're ours. And if he asks me outright I won't lie to him." Alice then spun and left the room. She could feel Laurens hateful gaze on her as she departed.

Lauren exhaled in relief as soon as she was alone. She didn't know why but it felt incredibly important that Danny didn't find out about her scars. Maybe it was because she didn't want him thinking she was a bad kid, or maybe it was something else. She didn't know, all she did know was that he couldn't find out and she'd do anything to make sure he didn't! She composed herself and left the bedroom. Danny smiled at her, he was always doing that, smiling at her,

"You ready?" he asked.

"You bet. Where we off?"

"Just downstairs, this play has a gym, sports hall and spa."

"Whoa!" Lauren whispered.

* * *

They had been playing three way basketball for an hour and Danny was clear winner. Lily had her shorts and t-shirt on, glistening with sweat, Danny was in his trousers and t-shirt, barely breathing hard. Lauren was overheating in her jumper but she couldn't take it off for obvious reasons. She had the ball in her possession, ran to the basket threw it with all her might and missed the basket. She stomped her foot, she had never been good at sports! Lily kept on saying snide comments to her under her breath when she passed and Lauren longed to wipe that smug smile off her face.

"So to give my girls a chance how about the two of you work together?" Danny suggested.

"Me work with her?" Lily asked disgusted. "I'd end up worse off!"

"Ave had just about enough of ya snide comments like!" Lauren fumed.

Lily turned to her. "What are you going to do about it exactly?"

Lauren started towards her.

"TIME OUT!" Danny called. "Lets settle this the old fashioned way," he grinned. "One on one basketball. Here's the rules, no kicking, or hitting of any kind. But you can shove each other a little bit."

Lauren grinned and looked at Lily. "Ya gannin down!"

"First to five wins." Danny finished.

"That'll be me!" Lily crowed.

Danny pulled a coin from his pocket. "Call it!"

"Tails." Lauren and Lily shouted in unison then looked at each other "Heads! Tails." they said, both of them getting angry as their responses were identical. "Tails, tails, tails, heads, tails….."

Danny stared at them open mouthed, it was like they were in each others heads or something. Even they were starting to get unnerved now, it was scary!

"Lil's, call it." he asked when they both quieted, staring at the other suspiciously.

"Tails."

"Ah was gonna say heads." Lauren said offhandedly.

"Bet ya!" Lily muttered.

Danny flipped the coin and looked. "Its heads."

"Yes!" Lauren said and took the ball. "I'm gonna decimate you!"

"We'll have to scrape what's left of you off the floor." Lily retorted.

"Girls!" Danny cautioned.

Lauren took the ball behind Lily and smirked.

"Ok, three, two, one…..go!" Danny told them.

Lauren bounced the ball and took a few steps back. She kept her mind blank as she realised Lily was trying to read what she was going to do, her eyes trained on Laurens. Lily followed.

"C'mon play!" Lily said getting frustrated.

"Make iz!"

Lily lunged, Lauren moved quickly, ran down to the basket and threw. It circled the rim then fell out. Lily grabbed the ball and sunk the ball cleanly. "That's one."

"Ya only one!" Lauren corrected.

"Oh I forgot to tell you, I'm on the team at school." Lily gloated laughing.

Lauren gritted her teeth, as Lily took her place. She headed towards her slowly.

"C'mon girls!" Danny encouraged.

Lily however rounded Lauren easily and sunk another basket. Again it was Laurens turn, Lily took it seemingly effortlessly and sank another basket. Lauren was starting to feel inferior and it was making her blood boil. It was getting personal now so as Lauren stood in front of Lily she pushed her sleeves up and started to shadow her. Lily tried to turn with the ball and she couldn't. They inched towards the basket, Lily went to take a shot and Lauren put her arms up to block her. Lily spotted the scars and looked at them with a frown.

"What are…."

Lauren almost immediately realised her mistake and did the only thing she could think of, she palmed the ball and smashed it down onto Lily's face. Lily had no time to even try to protect herself, the ball hit her, she cried out and fell to the floor clutching her face moaning in pain. Lauren pushed the arms of her jumper down.

Danny ran over and moved Lily's hands gently inspecting her nose. "It isn't broken at least." he said.

Lily ignored him. "You did that on purpose!" she hissed at Lauren and stood up to give her dad a better look. "Just because I saw…."

"You saw nothing alreet!" Lauren warned.

"I saw…."

"SHUT UP!" and Lauren moved so she and Lily were nose to nose. "Say it and I'll kill you." she whispered so only Lily could hear, eyes glittering with promise.

"Girls! Lily it was an accident." Danny said trying to placate them.

Lily and Lauren didn't move. Laurens eyes flared, a blatant dare.

"Yeah, an accident!" Lily hissed, unsure as to whether Lauren would try to kill her. She had already hurt her in the room earlier so who knew what the psycho was capable of! Instead of staying to be hurt more she turned on her heel and stomped off. Slammed the door to the sports hall as she left.

"You done Lauren?" Danny asked, hating that this ended badly. He wanted his girls to bond.

She nodded. "I had a good time."

He looked at her, "Me too." and side by side they went upstairs to their room.

**A/N Lauren is a strange one i'll tell you, and she and Lily really dont get along (can't blame lily really!) Danny though, i think hestrying too hard which might be his downfall!  
sorry for the lack of update/reviews on your stories. Uni work is killing me atm and it isn't gonna get better :( so i may not be here often but i will update/review eventually.  
This is really rubbish, defo not my best work but its kinda of a transition chapter, they go home in the next and that is when things get really going! So please stick with it, even tho this chappie was really bad :( x**


	14. Not Mine

The next day they all boarded a plane at Heathrow at dinnertime and departed at the same time at South Africa. Lauren had protested, not wanting to leave the only home she could remember. She tried so many excuses, she couldn't speak African, or in her words Zulu. She had been given a stern telling off by Alice for that remark and in return she swore at Alice. After that didn't work Lauren told Danny and Alice they were kidnapping her as the DNA results were back yet. Eventually she gave up planning on doing a runner a soon as she could but she was being watched like a hawk. She'd had no choice but to get on the plane and now twelve hours later they were all getting off, Lauren and Alice looking like zombies. Danny and Lily dealing better with the time difference as they had only been gone a week.

Lauren looked around rubbing her eyes. "What's up? Its supposed to be midnight! Why isn't it dark?"

They climbed in the car Mandy's husband had kindly dropped off for them.

"Different time zone." Danny supplied. "It's actually dinnertime here."

Lauren climbed in the car moodily and crossed her arms on the window, rested her ahead on them. "I like the UK better already!" closed her eyes.

"You always were crabby when you were tired." Danny laughed.

Lauren's reply was a large unladylike snort.

Lily eyed Lauren who sat in the back, she didn't really want to be in there with her, "Dad can I ride in the front with you?"

Alice who had been in the process of climbing in the passenger seat halted.

"Yeah ad prefer if she rode shotgun too." Lauren said eyes still closed.

Danny looked at Alice who shrugged and climbed in the back beside Lauren. Lauren opened one eye and glanced at Alice. She almost dismissed her and closed her eye once again. They started moving and Lauren was soon sleeping soundly…until they hit the rutted roads. Lauren was jerked awake and looked around groggily. "Huh?" spotted the roads and shook her head. Rested her head on he pillowed arms returning to her slumber until they hit a big rut and her head bashed off the window.

"Don't these people have roads man!" she roared rubbing her head. "Eeeeee my life!"

"Not exactly observant are we?" Lily drawled. "Africa is poor and so no, in some areas we have no roads."

"Then build some." she hissed coldly barely holding onto her fraying temper.

"We're nearly home." Danny told her. Glanced at Alice who was being uncharacteristically quiet.

"Not my home!" Lauren declared.

"Lauren it is all our home." Danny told her. Looked at Alice in the rear-view mirror for her agreement. Alice was staring out of the window in the opposite direction to Lauren. She had been in a funny mood since returning from the spa the night before. Quiet, withdrawn, just not Alice really.

Lily on cue pulled out her phone. "I'm going to text all my friends and tell them I'm home. Lauren do you want to borrow..." looked back at her. "Oh wait, you don't have friends do you? What about at the UK, do you have any there?"

"No, I killed them coz they pushed me!" she warned.

"Lily do you have to say stuff like that? Really?" Danny asked angrily.

"Why do you always take her side?" Lily yelled back at him. "I'm your favourite not her!"

Danny exhaled noisily he looked at Alice for support. When she didn't even glance at him he shook his head. "Lily if you weren't constantly trying to score points I wouldn't have to take her side." he replied. "Stop with the smart comments."

"She does it too!" Lily protested.

"You're the only one I hear doing it so stop it alright?"

Lily glanced at her dad then continued texting and they drove on in silence, Danny broke it.

"Look Lauren heres the house."

Lauren looked out of the window and saw a house appearing in the distance. It was a single storey house with a black roof with solar panels and a wrap around veranda. A pain hit her in the middle of her forehead and she clutched it.

"Home sweet home." Danny murmured with satisfaction, eyes in front of him.

Lauren stared at the fountain as they passed, in her mind she could see two little girls playing in there. One of them was her, she was sure of it…..but how was that possible? And the veranda stairs…..she had fallen down those once. Lily had laughed until she saw her nose was bleeding, then she ran to get their dad, she'd got Danny! But how…..

"Do you remember it?" Danny asked as he pulled the car to a stop.

She shook her head. "No, juts….wow….its big for just the three of ya."

"Four of us." he corrected. "We had planned to fill the house, didn't we Alice?"

Alice ignored him and climbed from the car. Lily did too. Alice went to collect her suitcase.

"I'll get it sweetheart." Danny told her.

Alice changed direction and walked up the stairs. After unlocking the door she and Lilt walked inside leaving him and Lauren alone. Lauren was staring up at the house wearily, almost trying to work it out.

"Go on in." Danny coaxed.

"Go where? I don't know where anything is." Lauren replied.

"Let me grab the cases then I'll show you around huh?"

Lauren headed for the boot and grabbed a couple of bags.

"It's ok I've got them why don't you stand on the veranda and give the place a good look?" Danny suggested.

"Na al help ya. Me sister and Alice don't seem to care very much." her voice full of disgust.

"Alice usually grabs her own case even when I tell her not to, she's not herself recently." his voice concerned at the end.

Lauren picked up three light bags and headed for the stairs. "Since me ya mean?"

"No…." he began.

"it's alreet ya don't have to lie, its all abit weird to be honest." Lauren told him simply.

He looked at her. "it's not all you."

Lauren shrugged. "If she doesn't want iz I can easily go back."

He put the cases by the wall. "We both want you!" he assured her then gestured her inside. She walked in slowly and looked down a bright and airy hallway.

"Just drop the bags there I'll sort them." he told her.

Lauren placed them on the floor and followed Danny when he took a step forward. "Ok, nearly all the rooms in the hallway are bedrooms. All but one of the bedrooms is ensuite so what ever room you pick has its own bathroom. The third door on the left is Lily's room and the room opposite is mine and Alice's."

"Cool." she whispered and followed him down the hallway, came to a stop at a door. "This is the bathroom, its not often used unless we have guests." walked down the rest of the hallway and came to a large open plan room. It was twice as long as the hallway making the house into a capital T shape. "This bit here is all new, well not new new, but it was built on before you and Lily were born. To the left as you can see is the study and living room. Lauren walked slowly around the area, there were 3 plush leather sofas surrounding a TV on the main wall which was longer than Lauren! Underneath was a log fire, towards the end of the room was a heavy set desk with a laptop sat, books shelves on both walls overflowing. There was surround sound all around the room. Lauren stood there feeling so out of place it was silly, this place felt untouchable! Danny didn't seem to notice, walked in and pulled an invisible wall from inside a wall. Lauren yelped and jumped out of the way.

"This is incase someone needs privacy in the study."

Lauren looked at the 'wall' then him with a worried expression. "Ok."

"Anyway to the right is out kitchen." he gestured her towards it. Lauren did as she was instructed and followed coming face to face with a huge American style refrigerator with a ice machine. There was a floating island in the middle of the floor and a table further along. The floor was white and tiled and the walls were decorated white and black. The cooker had eight hobs and 3 ovens. Lauren opened her mouth and then closed it swiftly

"Your mum likes to cook when she has the time." he said at her look. "And the finally the door through the back is the back shower, wash room and laundry room. Alice put it it there specifically for when I find out if our ellies are pregnant." he smiled wryly.

"Why would you need a shower after finding out an elephant is pregnant?"

"I need to collect a urine sample and it can get…messy."

Lauren made a face.

"Anyway this is." he gestured around. "Home."

Lauren surveyed the area slowly. "Yeah."

"It's really great that your finally here, back where you belong." he added. "The place didn't feel the same with just the three of us."

The word belonged sat uneasily within her, she had never felt like she belonged anywhere! "Can I go to a room?"

"Sure, take your pick of which one you want."

Lauren left the kitchen and walked down a hallway avoiding both Alice's and Laurens room, she picked a random door and opened it. Froze when she saw two canopy beds, a huge dolls house and toys everywhere.

Danny appeared from nowhere and took her from the room and closed the door. "Sorry."

"That….what was…." she gasped.

He nodded, "Yours and Lily's room from before. You had the choice of your own room back then but you wanted to stay together."

Lauren paled and he cursed himself for saying that.

"We….un….we had a lot of stuff." she whispered voice higher than normal. She was completely unnerved, that is what she had been taken from?

"Are you ok?" he asked.

She nodded. "Ah just…. A feel…..a dunno, its weird….I don't remember it's a feeling." she frowned. "Like de ja vu." looked up at him and realised what she had just said and quieted.

Danny didn't make a big deal out of it for which Lauren was eternally grateful. He simply moved her on to another room. "Why don't you make this one your own?" he suggested. "It's the biggest one left."

Lauren walked into a room and took in the clean cream walls with a large bed in the middle of it. There was also a TV on the wall, wardrobe and drawers."

"Is this ok?"

"Its well better than the one ah had in me old house!"

"We aim to please." he joked. "We'll go shopping too, what I mean by we is I can ask Alice to take you. Lily thinks its criminal if I take her."

"I'd like to go with you." she frowned. "I don't think Alice likes me very much."

"She does." he promised. "But I'll take you if you want."

"Would you mind if ah got a new hi fi and a few CD's? I have a slight addiction to music."

He could go one better but kept it quiet. "Sure we'll pick it up today. I just need to see your mum ok?"

Lauren nodded and Danny left the room. Lauren did too to collect her case and bag, she heaved them up and placed them on the bed pulled the zip open and began to sort the clothes. She found it hard to believe they were hers.

Danny had immediately went to his and Alice's bedroom. She was lain down in the middle of their bed on her side hugging his pillow. Her back to him. He walked over and sat next to her resting his hand on her stomach. "You ok sweetheart." leaned over and ran his knuckles down her cheek.

She nodded. "Just tired."

"Oh, I told Lauren you'd go shopping with her."

Alice exhaled. "I'm tired."

"Alice she needs her mum to go, I'm rubbish at this kind of thing. Football boots I can buy, cricket items even better but girls stuff? If she asks me about make up I think I'll pass out!"

Usually him saying something like that made her smile. This time her face didn't even change. "Sorry." she replied blandly.

"Would you go if it was Lily?" he asked knowing that she would, she loved shopping….with Lily that is.

"No, I'm always tired when I get home, you know that."

"Yeah but usually you'd drop anything to do stuff with Lily when you got home." he told her icily.

She sat up. "You really want to pick a fight with me now? Coz I'm not in the mood to be dealing with you right now Daniel!"

"Daniel?" he asked disgusted. "Since when was I Daniel?"

"Since you started getting on my nerves." she lay back down and closed her eyes.

He stood up. "You know what? Fine I'll take her! Lily…"

"She won't want to go, she can stay here with me."

He clenched his jaw. "I was going to say I'll drop her off at the stables."

"You do that."

He exhaled, and stomped from the room.

* * *

Danny and Lauren walked around an electrical store in Jo'burg. She was looking at stereo systems, she pointed to a little boom box. "This one is alreet." she told him.

"C'mon you want a better one than that!" he told her, took her hand walked down the aisle. "Here, what about that one?" he was pointing to a large sound system.

Lauren looked at the price and began to splutter. "Look at how many number is on there! Nee way!"

"The pound to rand ratio is much higher. That isn't pounds."

"How much would it be in English money then?"

"Well one pound works out at about 14 rand so…." he worked it out. "Around four hundred pound."

"Fir a hi fi?" she shrieked. "Are you insane? I'll have the little one!"

An assistant came over. "Can I help you?"

"Me and my daughter are just deciding on a stereo for her room. I want that one."

"it's a good choice." the salesman agreed, he worked on commission.

"He's off his head!"

The assistant frowned. "Excuse me?"

"He's being daft?" she asked wondering if he knew what that meant.

The assistant frowned again.

"She thinks I'm being stupid and reckless with money." Danny supplied.

"Oh." the assistant said and shot her a confused look. That was usually the parents stance, "Well anyway sir this is a brilliant piece of equipment. Multiple CD slots, a place to dock your Ipod, USB ports, comes equipped with four high range speakers."

Lauren walked away from it until she came to a Dre Beats stereo and halted. She tried to continue but Danny saw it. "Do you like that one?"

"No." she told him candidly but her eyes were drawn to it.

Danny examined it. "Where do you put your CD's?" he asked picking it up and looking underneath it.

"It's sort of for an Ipod."

"She likes that one." he told the assistant. "So we'll take it."

"What?" she spluttered.

"And she'll need an Ipod too."

"Howay man calm down this is too much!"

"Its what you would have had if you'd been home." he countered.

She frowned. "Can't you just get me the little one?"

"Is that the one you want? Really?"

Lauren nodded.

"Ok." he relented.

"But you're getting the Ipod!" and he also got her the dre beats stereo too, along with a laptop and mobile phone.

They returned home later to find Alice and Lily sat in their pyjamas painting each other nails. Neither one of them spared Lauren a second glance, or even a first for that matter.

"Why don't you go joint them?" he asked softly as they stood at the front door.

"Ah think al just go to me room if ya don't mind. They look busy an a don't wanna disturb them."

He smiled. "No problem.."

She picked up her boxed and took them to her room, she was about to close the door when he stopped her, "Hey I had fun today."

"Me too, ah like spending time with you, ya very easy and laid back."

"Trust me it may have been different had you asked my opinion on clothes or make up." he laughed. "But no, I'm good with laptops and stuff."

"Well I'll make sure to never ask you about stuff that make you want to cry."

"Thanks." he gave her a warm smile and left her.

Lauren began unpacking her new things. Put her bedding and curtains on the chair and studied the boxes on the bed. She suddenly had all the things she ever wanted and it felt wrong. Laptop, Ipod tablet mobile phone and two stereos. Danny had spent an unreal amount of money today and …..well it was like nothing to him! She picked up her Dre beat box and put it on the drawers. She plugged it in and lights flashed on. She put the little stereo in the corner. Then she opened her laptop and put it on charge and the Ipod too. She needed another plug for her phone so she left her room in search of Danny for a extension. She halted at Danny's bedroom door and lifted her hand to knock when she heard raised voices.

"Go to Lauren and spend time with our child! This is what we wanted and now you're acting like she doesn't exist! She is here and she needs a mother!" he yelled at Alice.

"NO She needs a shrink! She's crazy! I've spoke to Lily about things. Lauren isn't MY daughter and at this rate never will be!"

Laurens hand dropped like a brick in water. Everything Emma had ever told her about Alice came rushing back to her, she had almost forgotton! And now she had a way of getting in contact with her. She went back to her own room, and slammed the door seething. She ripped out the plug for the beat box and plugged in the cheap one, placed in a CD Danny bought her. Then she unplugged the laptop and put in her phone. As soon as the one was slightly charged and set up she dialled a familiar number.

"Hello?" a woman asked gruffly.

"Ma? Its me."

"Lauren? Where are you?"

"I'm with Danny and Alice at their house."

"Where?" Emma asked eagerly.

"Before a tell ya a need ya to promise not to hurt Danny. Alice and Lily are yours but not Danny!"

"Sure sure." Emma assured.

"Am at South Africa, south of Johannesburg. I'm not sure exactly where."

"Ok." Emma was silent. "It might take me a while to get there."

"Ya were right about Alice mum! And Lily is nee different. We're deeing Danny a favour!"

"Look until I get there can you do some things for me Lauren?"

"Aye what?"

"Well….."

* * *

Danny walked down the hallway towards his wife as she and Lily painted each others nails. "Why doesn't Lauren join in?"

"No." Lily told him stonily. "She's a…."

Danny halted Lily's statement with a look. "Alice?"

"Lily doesn't want her to." she shrugged. "Shake em Lil's."

"Alice…." he began.

"I said NO ok!" she hissed at him.

He scowled. "Can I talk to you alone?"

Lily felt the tension between her parents and skidaddled. "I'll give you a pedicure later ok mum?"

"Sure Lils." and Lily hurried to her room. Danny manoeuvred Alice to theirs. "I want you to spend more time with Lauren!" he told her. "She needs to feel part of this family."

Alice snorted putting away the nail varnish.

Danny took her arm and spun her. "She is our daughter Alice!"

"Is she?" she shouted. "Have you seen the way she looks at me and Lily?"

"She looks like that because neither of you will even try with her! Why should she take the first step? All of this was sprung on her!"

"She looks at me like she wants to kill me, I wish I was joking!"

"Now you're over reacting." he sighed. "Go to her." his voice calm and coaxing, it always worked on Alice…..not this time though.

"NO!" she yelled.

"Go to Lauren and spend time with our child! This is what we wanted and now you're acting like she doesn't exist! She is here and she needs a mother!"

"NO She needs a shrink! She's crazy! I've spoke to Lily about things. Lauren isn't MY daughter and at this rate never will be!"

"What?" He gasped literally speechless unable to believe that his Alice was saying this.

"I don't think I have to repeat that do I?"

He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Who are you? You're not the person I married!"

"I am. Losing a child changed me." she retorted.

"We have that child back!"

"No we don't because our Lauren didn't look like she'd kill you as soon as look at you! She doesn't feel right to me Danny, Lily feels it too. The only one who doesn't is you!"

Danny began to feel something coursing through him hot and fast, something he had never felt for Alice before. "I'm getting out of here, stay out of my face!" he hissed then left the house and went to his surgery.

* * *

Tea that night had been awkward, no one really looking at each other. Alice half way through had left after contacting Mandy. Mandy had wanted to come straight across and see Lauren but Alice instead had went to Mara. Danny knew she was no doubt listing all the ways Lauren wasn't theirs. Now he lay in bed waiting for her to return.

Why couldn't Alice just give Lauren a chance? He glanced at the clock and the numbers glowed luminous indicating 12 o'clock. Great midnight, and she'd probably have been drinking too! Lights flashed and gravel spewed as a car pulled up. He turned his back so he wasn't facing her side of the bed or the door and closed his eyes. He heard the crack of keys in the lock then the shuffle of feet and finally the squeak of their door opening. There was a rustle of clothes then the bed shifted. She shuffled around then silence reigned.

"Mandy says hello." she told him knowing he was awake.

He ignored her trying to sleep.

"She wants to meet Lauren." she carried on.

"You mean even after you tried to say she isn't ours!" he snapped.

"I never said that! She just….she isn't the girl I remember!"

He sat up. "Christ Alice what do you expect! She isn't 5 anymore!"

"You think this is easy for me?" she asked softly. "This is all I ever wanted for so long!"

"Then why do you keep saying she isn't yours then! Alice look at her she is the double of me!"

She sat up too. "I'm not talking biologically. Of course she is ours physically. But…." she rubbed her head. "Have you looked at her when she is looking at me? She watches me with this creepy look on her face. I'm not joking its scary, she actually looks like she would hurt me and enjoy it! Do you know how hard it is to look at her face….your face and see so much hate directed at me?"

"She isn't the girl we had, I know that." he murmured taking her hands in his, finally understanding to a degree. "But she needs you Alice. Needs us."

"And Lily?" she challenged. "In the meantime while you are so consumed with Lauren Lily thinks you don't love her anymore! She broke her heart tonight Danny! I tried to convince her but lets be honest you don't have the best track record with her do you?"

"We all just need time to adjust. We'll get there I'm sure of it."

"And us?" she asked. "Will we survive? Coz I can't deal with you trying to make me do stuff I'm not ready to!"

He bit his tongue, Lauren needed her now but she had him and Alice would come around eventually. "Ok." he conceded. "But try with her, that's all I ask."

She nodded. "I'll try." she agreed, a fragile peace descending.

After that they had nothing left to discuss and they lay down not touching. They turned away from each other.

"Goodnight Alice, love you."

"Love you too." she whispered in reply wondering whether he meant what he said or if he was just saying the words.

**A/N - i'm feeling for the danice right now they truly love each other deeply they just have no idea how to deal with this situation, and danny doesn't see how lauren feels about alice. BUT after losing her temper Lauren has been in touch with emma and now emma knows where they are...lauren asked her not to hurt danny will she though. lauren defo has a soft spot for him could that be her downfall? or her reason to change or could it be something else? OH and emma has something planned what could it be? x**


	15. Don't Turn Your Back

**One Week Later**

Lily, Danny and Alice were in the kitchen eating breakfast. Lily sat with her head in a magazine spooning cereal into her mouth routinely. Danny too had his head in a vets magazine reading about a new procedure. Alice just sat there watching them wondering when the house became so quiet.

"It's a bit cold today so I put a jumper in your bag Lil's." Alice told her.

She shrugged and sniffed haughtily, she wasn't in the best of moods this morning.

"C'mon Lil's don't be like this." Alice asked softly. She and Danny weren't on the best of terms at the minute, she could do without the same from her daughter.

Lily just looked up at her blue eyes full of anger. "Does she HAVE to come to my school? Isn't it enough that she's invaded my house, invaded my private space and messed up my parents. Do I have to be a twin everywhere I go?"

"She hasn't messed us up Lily." Danny told her not looking up from his magazine.

"Lily you are a twin everywhere you go and every moment you live." Alice told her. "Plus its just a visit. She may not get in."

Lily snorted. "Funnily I wasn't a twin a month ago!"

"Yes you were Lily, you just weren't as aware of it as you are now. Lauren is home." Danny told her turning a page. "Bond, do girly stuff. Drive me and your mum crazy, its your job."

Lily shot him a dark look. "She better not show me up!"

Danny finally looked at her. "Can't you even pretend to be supportive?"

"How's this MY fault? Why should I support her?"

"None of this is your fault but you are involved and that is why you should support her. She is your sister for God's sake! Your twin!"

Lily closed her magazine with a flourish. "Well I have decided after much, well five seconds of deliberation that I am no longer a twin! Not in any way that counts anyway. All she did was share a rather small space with me for nine months, that means nothing as far as I am concerned." picked up some toast and bit into it.

Danny looked at Alice who shrugged. "Any help?" he asked.

"We can't make Lily like her." Alice replied simply.

Danny shook his head and stood up, opened the fridge. Lauren walked in, hair damp around her shoulders from her shower. She'd had it cut into her own distinct style which hung just below her jaw line and there was a streak of bright pink down the right, her jeans were baggy and she wore a purple t-shirt which was torn in places. "Morning peeps!" she told them brightly.

"Oh God she isn't going dressed like that is she?" Lily gasped.

Lauren cocked her head to the side. "Well hello to ye an all big sis!" rubbed her hair as she passed.

Lily had a face like thunder.

"What is it ya find so offensive like? Me jeans which don't fit, or me bright pink hair or is the t-shirt which was actually ripped when ah bought it, can ya believe it? Ripped clothes!" Lauren laughed humourlessly. "Ah don't exactly care if am not posh enough for ya mates!"

"Actually your clothes are fine its just you!" Lily spat. "Especially ya accent!" she goaded putting on a Geordie accent and failing badly.

"Get real ya sket!" Lauren muttered and approached the fridge.

"What did you just call me?!" Lily demanded standing up.

"Girls!" Danny intervened.

Lily smirked at her nastily. "They won't even take you at my school! Its too good for the likes of you!"

Laurens face was almost purple, then she smiled, and moved until they were inches apart, her eyes glittering with revenge. "Just for that am gonna go out of me way to embarrass ya! Geordie style! Watch ya back!" then Lauren blatantly pushed her.

Alice grabbed Lily before she pushed back. Lily looked at her mum who shook her head. Lily made a low growling noise in her throat.

Danny grabbed a bowl from the cupboard while Alice took Lily into the living room.

"Lauren did you really have to do that?" Danny asked handing her the bowl.

"She started it! Am ah supposed just te let ah say what she wants tiv is? Its not my fault I haven't been here and its not my fault I sound different but am not changing for nee one! Especially not to fit in!"

He smiled. "You're just like your mum, she has her own set of rules too."

"Yeah well if am like someone its like ye!" Lauren told him seriously pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"Really?"

She nodded. "I wanna try, like you. See Lily and Alice they aren't interested, but us? We'll try!"

"Didn't you and Alice do something last night?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Ya mean did ye make Alice dee someink with iz?"

He made a face. "Was it that obvious?"

"Only A LOT! Ah can tell when someone doesn't wanna be around iz. Ah think me accent does ah head in!"

He laughed. "It takes a little to get used to."

"Aye maybe so but what ye didn't realise it that all of ye have weird accents too. Alice is Scottish, Lily has a South African tinge and you seem quite neutral."

"I've never noticed that before." he admitted.

"Yeah well so ya na, all of ye are weirdos too!" and she peeled a banana deciding against cereal.

"Look I don't want you getting your own back on Lily at school ok?"

"Howay man she started it!" she protested.

He shook his head. "No."

Lauren exhaled. "Fine! But if she points at me, laughs at me or makes me out to be a freak in anyway I'll do it!" she told him. "Its nowt serious anyway. She doesn't like being the centre of attention, easy way to annoy her is make a spectacle of meself. Lauren is here, large and in charge!"

"Not quite large or in charge." he amended.

She stuck her tongue out at him then tossed her banana peel in the bin and headed in the direction of the hallway.

"Your mum and I will be ready to go in a hour or so. Like I said its just for a look around the school." he said.

Lauren halted and looked at him. "Give then advanced warning that hurricane Lauren is on the way hold on to ya hats kids!" she turned, spotted her mum. "Alice." she said cordially then left.

Alice entered the kitchen carrying the mail and Danny headed for the veranda to say goodbye to Lily.

"She's gone." Alice told him sorting it.

"She didn't come to say goodbye." he replied frowning.

"You were busy with Lauren, the important one, her words."

"Did you correct her? Did you tell her they are equally important?"

"No I didn't actually." she replied still staring at the letters.

"Lauren needs me since her mother won't even try! You promised me you would! You're a world famous actress and you can't even pretend that you want to spend time with her, Lily is picking up on it and mirroring it! Do you even think about the effect this is having on Lauren?"

"Lauren doesn't care!" she breathed.

"She does!"

"Is she all you can talk about?" Alice shouted throwing the mail down onto the table. A few slid from it onto the floor.

"Since when did you lose your temper so fast?" he asked calmly. "We don't shout Alice, we're adults!"

"Don't use that tone with me Danny!" she warned. "It's superior and condescending and why I hated Austin Bailey!"

"Well stop being irrational! And start acting like you want Lauren!"

"That's debateable." she breathed then looked away.

Danny walked towards her and took the mail addressed to him, saw a letter from London and tore it open.

"I have things to do Danny so if we're done….."

"She's ours." he told her. "One hundred percent. Its says so here."

"Ok." Alice shrugged. "We done?"

"I'm beginning to wonder." he spoke without thinking.

She raised her eyebrows. "Do you have anything to say Danny?"

"Do you." he countered.

Both waited for the words they never wanted to hear from the other, their expressions changed too, from stubborn to unsure. Alice grew sick of the silence and left the kitchen. Headed outside and inhaled deeply, she found Lauren slouching on a chair, she smirked at Alice.

"I heard the good news mummy, it iz alreet if ah call ya that? Mummy. Did I call ya that years agan?"

Alice exhaled, clenched her teeth and went to leave.

Lauren stood up and grabbed her arm as Alice had turned. "Don't walk away from me ever!" she lowered her voice. "And don't turn your back, it'll be ya last mistake. It might be wise to warn Lily too."

Alice looked at her, her green eyes shone bright. Full of hatred. "Danny underestimates you. He doesn't see it, he sees little Lauren, the Lauren we lost."

"But ye don't do ya?" Lauren hissed. "You see iz as I am and ya won't underestimate me either."

Alice shook her head. "Not in the slightest, so have your fun, he isn't stupid. He'll know soon enough."

Lauren took another step closer to her. "The question is then MUM!" spat the word. "Is what do ye do about me?"

Alice shrugged. "There are a few options."

"And Lily?" Lauren added. "Maybe to get to ye al get to her. Danny will just think its sisters arguing. How will he find out then?"

Alice stared at her a moment. "Why do you hate me Lauren? What is it about me you find so offensive?"

"You're Alice Collins. You ruined my life. You… Laurens face was considering for a moment then, "...tell you what, I'll leave the big revelation for later." patted Alice's cheek. "You're gonna love it!" then she went to walk inside.

Alice grabbed her arm mirroring her action from earlier. "It would be wise not to turn your back on me either Lauren. You didn't get it all from Emma."

Lauren looked back at her. "You don't scare me Alice!"

"You're scared of your mum though aren't you?" Alices voice low.

"Don't talk…."

"She have you those scars didn't she? She hurt you? If you didn't act a certain way she hit you, did she tell you to feel this way now you know no different."

Lauren grabbed her right arm instinctively. "She… she didn't want to…." Lauren began to stammer. "Sh…she had to! She HAD to alright!"

"Did she tell you it was your fault or hers. Did she tell you were bad or was she just evil?" Alice asked.

"Her dad told her to!" she shouted. "She didn't want to hurt me!" heart pounding.

"Her dad?" Alice wondered out loud. "Why did he want to hurt you?"

"Coz…..coz…." she was breathing heavily.

"Because of me? Did they hate me Lauren? Is that why you hate me too?"

Lauren looked at her eyes narrow. "You'll be sorry! You will! They're coming you know! So many people hate you!" Lauren smiled. "They'll come anytime I want! As soon as I tell them where I am!"

Alice nodded. "I know I'm waiting for them, what surprises me is why your mum isn't here yet. You have been in touch, you have your own phone." a statement of fact.

Lauren was pulled back to the ground, Alice had manipulated her into giving away far too much! She kept the anger on her face but became more guarded. "Mum will come when she can, she wants me back." walked down the hallway needing to clear her head.

"Does she want you Lauren?" Alice asked voice soft. "Really?"

Lauren couldn't look at Alice. "She does."

Alice took a step towards her. "It doesn't have to be this way you know. We can all be happy if you want."

Laurens anger returned full force. "You'll be happy when I'm gone, admit it, only Danny wants me. My mum has always wanted me!"

"I always wanted you Lauren, but I don't know this girl!" Alice told her passionately.

"And this girl doesn't want to know you!" and with that she left Alice alone.

Alice watched her go, nodded then walked down to the surgery and dialled the inspector involved in Laurens case in London.

"Lauren just told me more," she said leaving a message. "Look for a block booking on a flight, a few people will be coming over soon. She has been in touch with this Emma and she could be on her way. Keep an eye on that phone number I sent you a few days ago, I think she may ring her tonight," Alice then put the phone down and sat down on the computer chair lost in thought. Maybe when they caught this Emma then she and Danny would get their little girl back.

**A/N ooooo lauren showing her true colours to alice there, especially telling her not to turn her back...ooooo...danice need some love to :/ next chapter is intersting again you see different sides to people keep reading! x**


	16. Visits

They were walking through a school yard later that day, Lauren hadn't changed clothes and received many startled looks from the teachers she was introduced to. To Danny and Alice the school was familar as they had been shown around when Lily started, this visit was mainly for Lauren and to be honest although the place looked expensive she wasn't all that impressed! A bell rang indicating change of lesson and masses of people seemed to be seeping from all doors. They stared at her as she passed.

"Wanna take a picture like? It'll last longer!" she asked a short girl with blue eyes.

The girl ducked her head and scurried away.

"Eeee my life!" Lauren breathed and wandered away from Danny and Alice as they discussed what work Lauren would be doing. Completely boring!

As she appraoched the library window to look inside she walked past some girls who looked to be around her own, age she heard them talking.

"Lily said she's a problem child." one girl said to the other.

"She has issues!" another added.

Lauren was seriously offended and coughed loudly, they turned and saw her. One even paled as they recognised her through her resemblance to Danny.

"Hi I'm Lauren!" she said brightly, malice clear in her features.

"Hi!" they all said shiftily.

"Do you know Lily Trevanion?" she asked.

"We really need to get to our next lesson!" one said trying to get away.

"DO you?" Lauren repeated coldly a threat evident on her tone, she took a step forward to puntuate it.

They all nodded.

"What's your next lesson?"

"Literacy." they chorused.

"And Lily is there?"

Again they all nodded mute.

"Good." motioned them away. "Off ya go then, ya don't wanna be late!"

They scurried off whispering as they went. She retuned to Danny and Alice, a single child again stared at her as they passed and she waved madly.

The child looked shocked then looked at the floor.

"Ya'd think I had two head the way these people look at me, ok so am in baggy jeans and pink hair, it isn't like am starkers!" she muttered.

Danny heard her and smiled. "Lauren if you go out of the way to look different then people will stare!"

"Who's trying to be different? Am me, this isn't an act, am not trying to look like anything. Now on this subject." smiled at him sweetly. "Can I have a tattoo?"

"What!" Danny squeaked.

"Just a little one!" her fingers millimetres apart.

"Not a chance!" he told her seriously.

She exhaled and shrugged. "Worth a try."

Alice was lost in an intense talk with the teacher.

"This always happen?" Lauren whispered.

He nodded. "Pretty much. Your mum just wants what's best for you."

Lauren waited until the teacher took a breath then intervened. "So, Lily is here then?"

"Oh yes!" the teacher beamed changing track immediately. "She is a great contributor to the school. She's on the sports teams and she is a top actress!"

Laurens eyes narrowed. "Like mother like daughter huh Alice. Bet you're so proud, she's a chip off the old block…..unlike me!"

Alice clenched her jaw. "Not here Lauren."

"But Alice I'm not doing anything." then she smirked.

"Dammit Lauren!" Alice hissed her patience practically gone.

Lauren looked at Danny searchingly. He exhaled and rubbed his eyes. The teacher looked between them all quizzically. "Do you um….need a moment?" he asked tactfully.

"No divn't worry about it!" Lauren said. "See me and Alice have a strained relationship due to my kidnapping seven years ago. Me and dad are cool though aren't we Danny?" she completely missed the fact that she called him dad for the first time.

"We have a service in school that offers support to…." the deputy began.

"Do ya have other kids that's been kidnapped like, cool, we can swap stories."

"Um…." the teacher began.

"Yeah thought so!"

"Lauren!" Danny warned.

"Just one more thing Danny, I just need to tell him something." Lauren look to the teacher. "Are you the head teacher?"

"Deputy." he replied.

Lauren nodded. "Ok here's the thing as you already know my name is Lauren Trevanion, what you don't know is that you will be seeing a lot of me in coming weeks. The reason for that is I don't like authority, I don't take orders and I have an attitude problem that's off the scale! But since they…." she motioned to Danny and Alice, who were in shock, "….are paying for me to be here than I can do what I want."

"No that isn't what will happen. We have rules that you will have to follow. Such as the pink in your hair…."

"Yeah I know." Lauren agreed. "The pink just isn't me, I was thinking next time electric blue."

"No, it isn't allowed!" he told her heatedly. "You will have to grow it out."

"Grow it out?" she raised her eyebrows. "Its MY hair isn't it? You don't get to tell me what to do about my body! I already told you I don't take orders and just for that tomorrow when I come in this lovely blond hair will have pink along with 2 others, I may even make a rainbow. You need to learn to listen sir."

"Lauren at school you'll do as you're told!" Alice told her.

Laurens eyes flicked from the teacher to Alice. "Will I? Really?" she shrugged having an idea, a way to kill two birds with one stone. "How about we go see Lily?"

"We shouldn't disrupt….."

"I'll be good." then Lauren smiled as angelically as she could.

They continued the tour and Lauren as good as her word nodded and smiled at appropriate times, made no reference to people staring at her…..until they reached literacy. They knocked and entered, first the deputy, Danny, then Alice and finally Lauren. Lily seemed to physically pale and looked away.

"Hey Danny, Alice there's Lily!" she said loudly. "Hello Lily!" she waved madly.

Lily covered her face with her hand her cheeks flaming. Danny nudged Lauren who stopped. Everyone who had started whispering settled.

The teacher spoke to the deputy head then turned to address the pupils. "Ok class this is….."

"Excuse me but I can do this part myself." Lauren interjected andheaded to the front of the class. After that she really was gaining some curious looks.

"My name is Lauren Trevanion and as of tomorrow I will be joining you in classes, anyone here with the problem child label consider yourself free that's me now."

"Lauren quiet!" Alice warned.

She looked back quickly. "I wasn't talking to you!" then returned her attention to the people she would be working with. "Lily here is my sister, not only that but my twin! I know can you believe it? I didn't even know about her but being kidnapped as a kid does that to ya. Anyway enough with the introduction lets get on with the lesson." weaved in between the tables towards Lily, she looked at the girl sat beside her in horror. "OH my god what is that on ya chair?" she asked pointing.

The girl jumped up and looked around. "What is it?"

"Nothing." Lauren grinned. "Musta just been you." wiggled her eyebrows and took the seat next to Lily.

Lily had her head pillowed on her folded arms completely mortified.

"C'mon sis!" Lauren nudged. "Lets learn!"

Danny and Alice stood at the front of the class unsure of what to do, the deputy was even in shock. The teacher approached. "Get out of my classroom."

Lauren exhaled a breath. "Excuse me?"

"Mum dad please get her out of here!" Lily pleaded looking up.

"Lauren lets go." Danny told her knowing if Alice asked world war three may commence.

Lauren was staring at the teacher unblinking issuing an unspoken challenge. "Say please!" Lauren told the literacy teacher.

"Children do as they are told!" he hissed.

"Good manners cost nothing." Lauren countered. "Say please and I'll go."

Alice sick of this went over and took Lauren by the arm, pulled her to standing. Lauren yanked her arm away. "You wanna put ya hands on iz again!" she spat without thinking.

Danny looked at her eyes wide and Lauren inwardly cursed. He headed over and put his hand on Laurens back. "This is getting out of hand." he said softly. "Lets get home Lauren." Danny told her.

Lauren looked to Danny and nodded. "See you at home Lily."

Lily was staring out of the window completely dejected.

Lauren stormed out of the room and towards the exit. Alice hung back clearing up some things with the deputy. Danny caught up to Lauren.

"What were you trying to achieve there?" Danny asked softly. "Its no good making a bad impression first chance you get."

That wasn't her intention, she wanted to be good at school…

"Is everything ok? Are you settling? Is it things at home? Coz it'll all settle you know."

"Its not you." she assure him. "It's….."

"C'mon…" he coaxed.

"I just…..I feel….."

Alice ruined the moment by stomping over. "What was that?" she shouted.

Lauren glared at her. "ME!"

"Well being that version of you meant I had to convince him to give you a try!" She continued. "Just because we pay for this school doesn't mean you do what you want!"

Lauren straightened up. "They haven't met me yet have they?"

Alice shook her head.

"C'mon Alice, Lauren." Danny told them.

"Being like that in your old schools may have been acceptable but not here!"

"I didn't go to school!" Lauren yelled back eyes cloudy.

Silence reigned.

"Ever?" Danny asked breaking it.

"I didn't exist over there did I? No one chased mum to send me to school. I went occasionally if she needed rid of me, as a first day sort of thing,. I was always being yelled at coz I didn't understand. The school would get in touch with the council but we would have always moved on and without any official paperwork…." Lauren trailed off fiddling with a strand of her hair.

"So how did you learn to read?" Alice asked.

"I read newspapers and stuff, I knew the basics so I taught myself. I know basic maths too but the rest." shook her head. "I'm already way behind in all of my subjects so I'm not gonna be the clever one I'm gonna be the thick one! I think I'd rather be remembered as the trouble maker." Lauren then shrugged and sat down in the back.

Danny leant down. "You'll catch up."

"On seven years Danny?" she asked quietly then sighed looking at the building morosely.

Danny and Alice shared a sad look then they climbed in the front of the car.

* * *

Lily wasn't pleased when she walked inside after school. "LAUREN!" she fumed.

"Lil's don't…" Alice started walking into the hallway from the living room.

Lily ignored her and went straight into Laurens room. "I warned you I'd had enough!" she shouted to her sister who was sat on her bed, Lily grabbed two handfuls of her hair and pulled her into the hallway. Threw her on the floor, knelt down and bashed Lauren's head off the floor.

Alice ran down the hallway and picked Lily up before she could hit Lauren again. "Get to your room now!" Alice told her.

"She deserved it!" Lily yelled in reply.

"NOW LILY!"

Lily gave Lauren a dark look then she went to her room and slammed the door. Alice knelt down beside Lauren who had her arms wrapped around her head.

Alice put a tentative hand on her head. "Lauren? Are you ok?"

"Leave iz alone!" Lauren told her keeping her face hidden. "An keep her away from me too, next time I see ah al kill ah! She'll never catch me unaware again!"

Alice raised her arm. "C'mon get up and we'll go into the kitchen."

Lauren looked up and Alice saw a trickle of blood down her nose. "You loved that didn't you? Why'd you stop it Alice?"

"We'll get you a cold compress…."

"WHY!" Lauren shouted.

"You're my daughter Lauren. I never want to see you hurt, ever. The only thing I want is for you to be happy and healthy."

Lauren looked at her.

"So?" Alice asked. "We can go get you a cold compress. Lily is in BIG trouble, there was no excuse for doing that to you."

Lauren sat up and dabbed her nose with her sleeve. "I'll get my own ice and sort myself out. I'm used to this."

"Used to it?" Alice whispered.

"Do you really want to know?"

Alice shook her head. "You don't have to sort it yourself, I'm here."

Lauren didn't want to do it alone, but she didn't want Alice either, she half believed she put Lily up to it. "Where's Danny? I want him not you."

Alice exhaled. "Lauren, I'm here."

"DANNY!" she repeated stubbornly.

Alice recognised the tone of her voice that there would be no budging her. "I'll radio him for you." Alice then got up and headed for the study. When Alice was away Lauren swiped at the tears that appeared in her eyes, stood up and walked down to the kitchen. Glanced down the room in the study where Alice stood talking to Danny through a radio. She went into the freezer and removed some ice. Alice put the radio away and left her to it.

She was arranging the ice on a tea towel when Danny walked in.

"Lauren?" He asked walking down the hallway towards her. "What happened?" touched her cheek gently.

"Did Alice not tell ya?" Lauren asked.

He shook his head.

"It was….." she wanted so badly to tell him about Lily but something had her halting. "I erm I slipped on someink in my room and hit me head off the drawers, am dead clumsy." returned to her ice.

Danny sat Lauren down and took over. "It looks bad." he murmured picked up the ice pack and knelt in front of her, he gently put the pack to her head.

"Its nowt really." she assured. "Alice tried to help but I wanted you….you don't mind do ya?" she asked hesitantly.

He shook his head. "Not at all, anytime you want me I'm right here. Its what a dad is for."

Lauren found herself smiling at him, a real smile, not the fake one she sometimes used to keep him happy. It was hesitant at first then it seemed to bloom and transform her entire face. She really loved having a dad! Danny was concentrating on her head.

Alice exited Lily's room and saw Lauren staring at her dad, a smile on her face. She couldn't tear her eyes away. She felt a pang of pain at the scene before her, it seemed she'd never share that sort of relationship with her daughter and even though Lauren seemed to provoke her and may even want to hurt it the thought caused pain to build within her.

* * *

All was quiet in the house, it was midnight and Lauren was busy working in her room. She took off the gloves she used to ensure no fingerprints were left on her project. She picked up her creation and climbed out of her bedroom window, after placing the box on the top of the veranda stairs she returned to her room and lay down. She heard footsteps coming towards her door and she lay on her side and made her body slack. Danny was worried about the bump on her head so he was no doubt checking on. As she expected her door opened and footsteps came inside. He came over and looked at her, then he turned and left the room.

As soon as the door closed she sat up. Danny coming in here only reminded her of what Lily done and the fact her head pounded relentlessly. Time to teach her a little lesson! She left her room, slipped soundlessly into the kitchen then opened the door to Lily's room. She crept in, closed the door, a knife clutched tightly in her hand. She was gonna put the fear of God into her twin, teach her that if she tried anything like that ever again the repercussions would be off the scale. Lets face it, she had lied to Danny and Alice probably congratulated Lily on a job well done so it was down to Lauren to warn Lily, she still wasn't sure why she lied to Danny, she just had.

She slid across the. floor on soundless feet to where Lily lay, her fingers flexing around the metal handle of the knife. Lily lay on her side and Lauren was about to grab a handful of her collar when she saw a little pink bear under Lily's outstretched arm. It was pink and white, small, nothing particularly special about it….except she remembered it...and she didn't know why! Another sat on the bedside table and for no reason at all her heart was pounding. Revenge forgotten she reached to touch the bear hesitantly. She closed her eyes as her fingers encountered the soft fur and she felt a small laugh bubble up…..but why was she laughing?

A memory filled her mind of the both of them lain on a sofa in the living room bear in-between, arms reaching out around each other…..like Lily was lain now. Lauren longed to climb in the bed beside her sister and forget...forget what happened all those years ago and be normal….she covered her eyes. She and Lily had loved each other once, they had been sisters….they had actually been twins at one time. She remembered laughing, two people, her and Lily. Laurens chest felt unbelievably tight and she glanced at the knife in her hand. Her head bobbed back to Lily and she dropped the bear and found herself running from the room. She didn't care about being quiet she just had to get out of there.

When the door was closed she stumbled across the hallway and rested her head on the wall. Her hand fisted beside it, she had voices in her head. Emma was telling her to go in that room and do it, that Lily deserved it and so much more! But another voice, Danny's voice, kept telling her the girl in her memory didn't deserve that, the girl in her memory was kind and nice and loving, she was just adjusting. She felt her fist pound the wall.

"Lauren?"

Lauren spun at the sound of her name, sliding the knife up her sleeve covertly. Danny stood looking at her, his face illuminated by moonlight.

"Are you ok?"

Her mind span looking for a valid reason. "Just abit nervous about school, ah went to talk to Lily and well, she's asleep."

"Alice told me what happened with your head, what really happened."

Lauren closed her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Lauren shrugged. "I don't know. Ah provoked ah today, nee doubt about it. Ad have done the same to be fair."

"Just because you provoked her doesn't mean she has to lash out. We taught her better than that. Were…." he swallowed. "You were going for revenge weren't you?"

Danny sounded so dejected, Lauren was surprised that it actually hurt hearing him like that! She ran her free hand down her hair. "Guess am see through then? You can read iz like a book?"

"Not at all, I just know your mum really well, you're more like her than you give yourself credit for."

Lauren rolled her eyes.

"So what were you going to do?" he asked.

"I went in for a barny but…." she crossed her arms and looked away finally realising that even through she really wanted to she hadn't been able to hurt Lily, coz of a stupid bear!

"What?"

She exhaled. "I couldn't do anything! I saw the bears and in my head I saw her laughing and us hugging and she wasn't Lily who hurt me but the Lily in my memory and the Lily in my memory hadn't ever did anything bad to me! The person in my head I…..I remembered loving her Danny!" her words coming out all garbled, almost like a rant.

"That isn't a bad thing Lauren." he said at her pained expression.

"But it is!" she told him voice full of real emotion, she rubbed her eyes to try and rid the evidence but the tears still spilled from her eyes. "Why is this so hard?"

Danny shook his head and wrapped his arms around her. "C'mere." he murmured. Lauren hesitated before she returned the hug. She'd never been hugged in….well she couldn't remember ever being cuddled. This felt nice though, safe.

"You're not so tough then?" he murmured.

"Divn't let it get around. Got a reputation to maintain." after a long moment she pulled away and wiped her eyes. "You won't tell Alice and Lily about this will you?"

Danny shook his head. "Do you want something to drink? You used to like warm milk."

Lauren shook her head. "Think I'll go to bed, big day tomorrow…or today?"

Danny spontaneously kissed the top of her head. "Ok goodnight Lauren."

She nodded. "Night Danny." then walked towards her room, entered and flopped down onto her bed after closing the door. The knife slid from her sleeve and landed on her bed. She quickly shifted it until it was hidden beneath her pillow. This was all going wrong! She wasn't supposed to be caring about any of them….but Danny….he was so easy to care about and her mum had never said he was a bad person!

And those tears she cried….she hated to admit it but they were real, she was feeling so conflicted about everything! The old her wouldn't have struggled to hurt Lily but this her? She surveyed her surroundings…..it was the house, having all this stuff wasn't her and it was messing with her head! She had to get out of here! She needed to talk to her mum but her mum told her not to call until the phone her mum sent her was set up. Her mind kept running in circles, eventually she felt into an exhausted sleep.

**A/N starting to see a different side to people now. Alice under it all actually wants to have a meaningful and loving relationship with Lauren and Lauren, under the bravado she is actually really vulnerable and Danny is starting to get to her...maybe in a way lily is too...more on that next chappie x**


	17. Going Through Changes

Lauren sat at the breakfast table the next morning yawning widely. As promised instead of her hair being just pink there was also electric blue in the middle and purple down the left. She wore her blazer and blouse, tie short and trainers instead of shoes. Only Lauren could make a reasonably smart get up look punky. She was stirring her cereal around in the bowl the sugar puffs all soft now. Danny entered the kitchen and smiled at her. His eyes widened when he saw her hair. "Where'd you get the dye?"

"Yee of course, you gave me pocket money, I ordered it off the internet."

"Was it like that last night?"

She nodded. "But it was dark so obviously you didn't notice. Ya think they're gonna be really angry at me?" grinned.

"So that is what you wanted me to pay for? And it must have been the two packages you received the other day."

She declined to answer that one, one of them had been from the internet, the other had been from Emma. "And with the rest of my pocket money I filled my Ipod with brilliant music!"

He nodded. "I sometimes hear some of that music filtering from your room, I hear rappers and other stuff with guitars, its not what I would call brilliant, not what I would call music either but there you go."

"You just don't know what's good for ya!" she retorted a giggle escaping. "But actually I will listen to anything, I'm not fussy."

Danny ruffled her hair as he walked passed towards the fridge. Lily walked in running her hands through her own hair yawning. She scowled at Lauren. "What have you done to your hair?"

"Ah wouldn't have thought that needed explaining." Lauren drawled sipping her juice.

"Girls." Danny warned knowing things could quickly escalate.

"You really can't help yourself huh?" Lily asked sitting down.

"Am following through, I told the deputy I would come in with three colours in my hair and I am, there's nee idle threats from me!" she said calmly, eyes trained on Lily's.

Lily exhaled and shook her head. "Morning dad." she said deciding on ignoring Lauren, hopefully if she did this long enough Lauren would disappear, it hadn't happened so far but she could hope!

"Morning Lil's." he told her with a smile. "How you feeling this morning?"

Lily made a sour face and poured herself a bowl of cereal. "So so, I hate being up early." she moaned.

"That's exactly what you've said every morning since you started school."

"Well school should start at ten o'clock!" she told him, Danny mouthing her word for word.

"I can read you like a book Lil's." he laughed. "You want me to take you to the stabled tonight? Just me and you?"

Lily beamed, "I'd like that, just be more careful around Candy this time huh?" she chuckled.

"You don't need to tell me twice!"

Lauren watched the scene with interest and a tinge of jealousy, both Lily and Danny were laughing at something but she didn't know what. What really made her jealous though was when Lily called Danny dad, I mean he was her dad so why didn't she call him it? "Da…da….." she halted physically unable to say it. Lily snickered and Lauren longed to kick her but resisted. "Danny?" she settled on.

"Finally figured out how to talk." Lily muttered.

"Shut it or ye won't be able to reet!" Lauren whispered in return.

"Try it!" and Lily wiggled her eyebrows.

Lauren stared at her so intensely she felt a shudder run through her shoulders.

"Lauren?" Danny asked.

Lauren looked at him disreadin Lily. "Um I just wondered if I could have a look around the surgery later, when you're finished with Lily of course."

"Yeah sure." he told her excitedly. "I didn't realise you hadn't been down yet."

Lauren shrugged. "Everyone's been busy."

Lauren nodded. "Anyway school bus is here soon so I better go and finished my look." smirked at Lily then walked off down the hallway. Danny heard her door close and sat down. The only sound in the kitchen was Lily eating her toast.

"Hey Lils take care of your sister today." he asked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "She doesn't need me to, she's big enough and mouthy enough to take care of herself!"

"You just might be surprised Lily."

Lily snorted in reply, but a seed had been planted subconsciously in her mind.

* * *

Lauren stared at her map confused, she was trying to find the maths centre and somehow had ended up in the art department. It was then she realised she had the map upside down. She cursed and headed aimlessly towards where she thought she was supposed to be going. It was the third lesson of the day and the third one she was late to. Lily was avoiding her, which was just the way Lauren wanted it but now she had no idea where she was! While she wandered she stumbled upon the area she was looking for and exhaled in relief, that was until she walked into the room and saw the board full of numbers and letters.

"Oh bollocks." she said under her breath.

"Good morning?" the teacher said. "Who are you?"

"The devil child." Lily spoke up.

Lauren glared at her. "Eeee Lily that was so funny a forgot to laugh!" looked at the teacher. "Am not in fact the omen but I am Lauren Trevanion."

"Oh you're Lily's twin?" studied her curiously.

Lauren hated that, whenever anyone spoke to her she was always the other Trevanion, Lily's twin! She was unique. An individual, nothing to do with Lily! She decided to deflect it using humour, "I know look at us, ah don't believe it either but Danny and Alice had DNA test and its official, we're sisters."

"I demand a retest!" Lily spoke up.

"You could only wish to be related to me!" Lauren hissed.

The class and teacher watched them with interest.

"Anyway instead of being watched I'd like to sit down." and Lauren gestured around.

"Well until you settle why don't we sit you next to Lily? Celia move next to Seth please."

Lily looked at Lauren in disgust, now her friends were being moved coz of her! This was getting beyond a joke!

"Get that look off your face, I didn't ask to sit next to ya, trust is sitting next to him is far better than yee!" Lauren told her.

"Look its bad enough we have to live together now you're at my school how about we set ground rules and don't communicate ok?"

"Fine with me!" Lauren said pulling a pen from her inside pocket and writing her name on a book.

The teacher returned to teaching and everyone was quiet, Lauren getting more and more lost as seconds ticked by. The teacher was talking about integers or something and there seemed to be a lot of numbers and she was moving them! Lauren was struggling with where they were! They were set a task and Lauren wrote down the questions.

Ok, she thought, I can do this like I do everything else. She chewed her pen. Just guess and hope for the best! She was sat frowning at her page. Lily was working quietly and Lauren resisted the urge to look at hers and copy, she'd never live it down if Lily noticed! So eyes focused on her book she rested her hand on her head and tried to remember what the teacher said, she was soon chewing the tip of her pen frantically, her face though betrayed none of her internal turmoil, she looked introspective and thoughtful.

The teacher passed looking at her page. "Lauren you haven't wrote anything down yet." she said.

"I'm just….um….thinking…..and…." her usually keen mind faltering. She was aware of Lily watching and felt sweat bead upon her brow.

Lily heard the teachers enquiry and looked at Lauren page then at her sister waiting for her excuse, she was just being lazy no doubt! Then she looked at Lauren and saw her fidgeting, struggling to answer. Lauren was never this uncertain if anything she was overly cocky! Without thinking she intervened.

"She helped me." Lily told the teacher.

Lauren looked at her perplexed. "I did?"

"Yeah, remember." and Lauren saw a message within her eyes and nodded slowly.

"I was a little bit mixed up and Lauren corrected me and explained." then Lily put the icing on the cake and smiled at her teacher innocently.

The teacher nodded. "Next time Lily ask me, don't distract your sister."

"Yes Miss." and the teacher moved on.

Lauren seemed to physically deflate before her. "Thanks."

"No problem." Lily shrugged. "You ok? I can help if you want." maybe her dad was right, maybe she did need someone looking out for her.

Lauren shook her head. "I can do it."

"Ok." Lily answered and returned to work.

Lauren was now sat writing random numbers on her page just hoping they were right. Lily glanced at Laurens work then her face. To an outward observer Lauren looked fine but to Lily she was obviously distressed, she wore the exact face their dad had when he lost an animal in the surgery. That combined with what could only be characterised as bad mistakes on her work meant one thing, Lauren was out of her depth! "Ok here's the thing." Lily began. "The teacher gonna ask you to answer the sixth question, don't ask me how I know I just do, she thinks she has this random picking system…..yeah right! Anyway this is how you do it." and sat and outlined the answer.

Lauren stared at her. "Why are you helping me? You hate me."

She debated on whether or not to tell her their dad asked her to watch out for her, but that seemed too nice for them, after all they DID hate each other, so instead she went with. "You're not showing me up."

Lauren glared at her so full of venom Lily was surprised she didn't die on the spot. She slammed shut her book. "Go to hell. I don't need your help!"

"Yeah and that's why all your answers are wrong!"

"Actually they aren't wrong, I just figured them out MY way!"

Lily laughed humourlessly. "Fine, don't take my help!"

"I don't need you ok!"

The teacher approached the front of the class. "Ok everyone time to work out your equations. And called out a child first.

Lily studied her book intently making notes while Lauren swung on her chair spinning her pen in her fingers. They passed through the questions quickly until they came to number six.

"Ok Lauren your turn, how did you do it?"

Lauren moved her chair so it was flat on the floor. "I didn't." and she smirked.

"Excuse me?"

"I didn't do ya stupid question! To be honest ah didn't see the point!" and threw her book so it hit the floor in front of the teacher. It landed open and her first page was full of unanswered equations.

"Lauren it might….."

"And for your information I'm not a performing seal ok? Am not gonna dee what some teacher tells iz! I dee what ah want when I want." and swung on her chair again chewing her gum openly.

The teacher unaccustomed to such open displays of defiance was astounded for a moment. "It may be different at other schools you attended…."

"Eeee God this again! My other schools are in the UK, how do you know I wasn't a little sod there too!"

Everyone was staring at her, including Lily who looked like she wanted to kill.

"Get out of my room and dispose of your gum, NOW!" she teacher hissed.

"Way to sound threatening Miss!" Lauren laughed. "I was almost scared."

"NOW Lauren!"

Lauren replied by sitting forward. "I don't take orders!" she said calmly, "Now on the other hand ask nicely hand…." she trailed off. "Teachers these days have nee respect." she said with fake nostalgia.

"Lauren go." Lily told her.

Lauren turned and was face to face with her sister. You gonna make iz like? Go on then I dare you!"

Lily laughed. "You're not worth it."

"I'm giving you a final warning Lauren, leave my classroom!" The teacher said.

Lauren looked back at her. "Or what exactly? I'm still not scared yet."

"Lauren you're not making a good impression on your first day!" the teacher told her.

"Neither are you!" then she stood up. "And since you didn't TELL me to leave again I've decided to depart from your classroom." began pulling on her coat and picked her bag up slinging it over her shoulder.

"You can leave your things."

"Ya think am coming back?" Lauren scoffed. "Am well off!" and with that Lauren left classroom and the buildings and headed straight out of the front gates. Instead of going for lunch and onto her next lessons she got a taxi home. When she arrived there she paid the driver with money Danny gave her and walked up the stairs feeling defeated. Danny spotted her as soon as she walked through the door, ran to her and hugged her tight.

"Whoa!" she declared. "Not exactly the reaction I was expecting!" she laughed.

"We were worried, you shouldn't have walked out of school."

"They shouldn't leave the gates open like that!" she retorted then she shook her head humour not helping her this time. "I'm not going back there, please don't make me." pulled free from his hand and dropped her bag by her bedroom door.

"Can you go to your room for a little bit I need to speak to your mother."

Lauren nodded and went to her room, Danny waited until he heard the monotonous drone of music from her room before he returned to Alice who was holding her head in her hands on the living room. His eyes were drawn to the whiter box on the table, bright red lingerie spilling our of it.

"It can't be him!" she told him pained. "It can't BE!" she repeated and looked up at Danny eyes haunted. "The roof fell on him!"

Danny sat beside her and took her hands in his. "Are you sure? I mean who else knew the exact gifts he bought you? It was publicised he brought you stuff but not what he got you…." he shook his head. This was also the exact thing he bought her when she'd stayed there all those years ago!

"I'm sure Danny! I saw it! They found a body in this house remember?"

"Yeah but was it actually him? It was too badly burned for you to identify. Is there anyway he could have got away?"

"And he stops for how many years? Why? Why didn't he carry on? And why begin again now?" she asked heatedly.

He exhaled heavily. "A copy cat?"

She shrugged looking like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. He cupped her cheek. "Hey, no one will get near you. It's a promise."

She smiled at him, the way she felt for him written all over her face. For a moment, one shining second they were back there, they didn't have Lauren or Lily they had only known each other 5 weeks and were falling so hard and so fast and having no idea how to stop it.

"I know." she whispered and kissed him softly, then rested her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I was genuinely worried about Lauren, I thought she was taken again." he admitted.

"It'll be hard letting her go." she told him robotically.

He nodded missing her tone. "She had trouble on her first day."

"You think Lily might have had something to do with it?" Alice asked.

He shrugged, "No idea, Lauren told me she didn't want to go back, I'll talk to her."

"I'll go down and do our rounds on the surgery." kissed him slowly then left.

Danny watched her go, sighed then picked up the white box and hid it under his bed. Then he approached Laurens room.

Alice however was outside stood by the fountain looking at the window towards Lauren room. She swore she noticed Lauren watching. She held the phone to her ear, someone picked up.

Alice wasted no time, "I want you to look into Alistair Murphy ok, find anything you can. I received a gift today and I'm fairly certain Lauren sent it." she put the phone down and again looked in the direction of the house. This was getting more and more messy as time passed. What did Alistair have to do with Lauren? Or did he? He was long dead! Did Lauren even send the gift or was this random. She exhaled ad questions whizzed around, finally she headed down to the surgery.

* * *

Lauren sat humming in her room when she heard a knock.

"Come in!" she called.

Danny opened the door and she used the remote to her beat box to mute the music. Danny saw her blazer was tossed against the back of a chair, her tie on top, her blouse open at the neck. She was lain on her bed arms pillowed behind her head.

"Bad day?" he asked sitting on the bed.

"On a scale of one to ten? Fifty!"

"Oh." he said softly.

"Am not gannin back!"

"You have to, schools important."

"Ya can try an force iz but al knock off."

He looked at her confused.

"Truant." she supplied.

He nodded, saw Alice pacing by the fountain. Shook his head. "What happened?"

Lauren sat up and exhaled.

"Was it Lily?"

Again Lauren remained silent smoothed the sheets on her bed where they were rumpled.

"Lauren I can't help you if you won't talk to me." he coaxed.

"I lasted three lessons before I snapped." she admitted eyes trained on her bed covers. "I didn't understand what the teachers were talking about. The final straw was maths. I got lost so was late for the lesson, I ended up sat next to Lily…."

"What did she…."

"Wait!" she told him. "we set off to work doing equations or something and I was clueless and I mean really and the teacher came over and asked why I hadn't written anything down yet. Lily told her that I had been helping her so she left me alone."

"She protected you?"

Lauren nodded. "But then the end of the lesson came and I had to answer a question. Lily noticed I was looking bad or something so told me how to answer the questions."

"So what's the problem?"

"When I asked her why she helped me she said so I didn't show her up! But the main problem was that ah needed her help! Ah sit in the lessons feeling well rubbish coz they may as well be speaking in a foreign language coz I divn't understand!"

"how about we sort you a tutor so you catch up?" he suggested.

"How about a brain transplant?" she moaned covering her face with her hands.

"Its not that bad, one day soon we'll find something you're brilliant at!" he assured.

"What if we didn't? What if am rubbish at everything? I don't want to act out but when I feel under pressure its instinctive. Like a defence mechanism."

He patted her hand. "I'll phone the school and get this sorted.."

"AM not going in any remedial classes either! I'd rather struggle!" she had her pride!

"Tell you what why don't we go down to the surgery then I'll help you with your work. We'll then get you some work books too." he wanted to take her mind off her struggles.

She stared at him. "Why are you helping me?"

"That's a silly question, I'm your dad."

"I've never had a dad before." she admitted softly. "It was mostly just me and Emma, or she had the odd boyfriend." some of whom she hated and others she tolerated. Some of them were creepy and she blocked them out!

"Did Emma tell you your dads name?" he asked converationally.

Lauren nodded and stood up pushing her feet into trainers. "Lets gan down to the surgery?"

"What's his name?"

Lauren looked away wondering whether she should tell him, Emma hadn't meant to tell her, it had fell out of her while on drugs one day. She had promised Lauren not to say a word to anyone. "Why?"

"I just want to know." he told her.

She shook her head. "I can't say. Emma made me promise to never tell."

His suspicions were piqued. "Why?"

Lauren shrugged. "Dunno, she never telt iz. Can we go then?"

Danny gestured her to the door. "Lets go."

They left the house, walked down the stairs and towards the surgery side by side. "Is Alice ok?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah she is. Why'd you ask?"

"She looked a little stressed when I saw her outside."

He shook his head. "We were just worried about you that's all."

They reached the surgery and Danny held the door open so she could walk inside. Lauren looked round.

"Wow!" she breathed. Everything in here was shiny and bright. There seemed to be all kinds of different machinery everywhere. Alice was in a pen kneeling down checking on a lion, her jeans and blouse covered by a green apron. Lauren walked over watching her.

Alice shifted the stethoscope a little. "You were in trouble huh? I hear fluid in your lung. Antibiotics will clear that up no time." she looked up and was startled when she saw Lauren.

"Hi." Lauren said hesitantly. "Am not bothering you am I coz ah can go."

"Its fine." Alice told her.

Lauren moved closer to the pen and knelt down looking at the lion almost like she was taking in every detail.

"You want to come in?" Alice asked impulsively.

Lauren eyes her wearily. "In there? With a lion?"

"She's sedated."

Lauren looked torn, then nodded. "If its nee botha!"

Alice smiled, stood up and pulled the pen door open. "As soon as I tell you to you'll have to get out though ok?"

"Here if she starts waking up ya won't see iz for dust!" Lauren assured.

Alice laughed softly and they knelt down side by side. Danny who had been in the office was now watching them from afar.

"She shouldn't wake though." Alice told Lauren. "I gave her enough sedation to take down a elephant. Sometimes I use it on Danny when he annoys me."

Lauren laughed, "Don't be giving iz ideas!" then hesitantly put her hand on the lion gently. She grew in courage and was soon running her hand along the animals stomach. "This is amazing!" she breathed. "To be this close…." she shook her head in awe.

"You want to hear her heart?" Alice asked.

Lauren nodded eagerly.

Alice took off the stethoscope and put it on Lauren, then she put her hand over Laurens and moved the drum to the area where the lions heart was. Danny moved slightly closer as both their heads were bowed over the animal now. He smiled when he saw how similar their expressions were. Their concentration identical.

"I can hear it!" Lauren said excitedly. She stayed so still listening intently to the whooshing, her free hand still resting on the stomach.

Alice looked up, spotted Danny and smiled and the sight caused elation to fill him. She hadn't looked that that in so many years, far too long. He hated to do it but he tapped his watch. She nodded and dropped her head.

"I'd love to be able to leave you here but she is going to wake up soon." Alice told Lauren.

Lauren patted the animal softly then took off the stethoscope and handed it to Alice. "Thank you, that was….beyond words."

Alice smiled. "It was my pleasure."

Lauren stood there for a second then hugged Alice impulsively then Lauren left the pen without saying a word.

"Have fun?" Danny asked, not making a big deal of the whole interaction even though inside he was dancing.

"Yeah, it was great." she glanced at Alice who was sorting the pen. "This whole place is great. I love it!"

"If you two wanna head up I'll finish up in here." Alice suggested.

Danny and Lauren nodded, Lauren waved hesitantly at Alice who did so in reply. When Lauren left Alice couldn't restrain her yelp of delight.

* * *

Danny and Lauren were walking up to the house. "That was so cool!" she said again unable to stop smiling.

"Yeah, your mum thought so too." he mused. "Its one of the ways I made her fall for me. I gave her a baby lion cub to bottle feed."

"That's propa sweet!"

He nodded. They walked inside an he took her to the study, opened a photo album and opened it to the second page. Lauren looked and saw Alice holding a tiny lion cub grinning widely.

"Mum didn't stand a chance against you did she? Feeding lion cubs!"

Danny noticed she called Alice mum but didn't mention it.

"So love at first sight huh?" she asked flicking through the album. Smiled at a picture of a baby covered in shaving foam.

"Love at first sight with me and Alice?" he asked. "Not quite. More like hate. It took a while to warm to each other."

Lauren looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You hated her?"

He nodded. "I had been told some stuff and read some stuff and I thought I knew her. Then I got to know the real her and she was nothing like I originally thought."

Lauren nodded lost in thought as she saw a picture of Alice with her and Lily on her knee as toddlers.

"I learned an important lesson that day." Danny carried on. "To make decisions based on what I know and not what I've been told. Anyway…" he changed the subject. "Lets load up this computer and we'll get some books for you yeah?"

Lauren looked at the photo of her mum for the last time and shut the album. "Yeah." and she sat next to him by the computer.

**A/N lots happening here! the school issue, lily and lauren had a littl moment...lauren isn't as hard as she pretends to be and is far too proud! then back at home and alice has another gift off creepy stalker man alastair...but hes dead! so alice thinks is lily! the danice had a loved up moment ahhh ze danice! lol BUT most importantly there was mahoosive development between alice and lauren in the surgery, combine that with dannys words at the end and i smll trouble! lauren is going to end up more confused and conflicted as ever as she begins to question where her loyalty should really lie! exciting stuff :D x**


	18. Had To Know

The days passed quickly and they all seemed to settle into a routine. The school was made aware of the difficulties Lauren was having and she was given extra tutoring. Lauren was taking what Danny told her seriously and decided to ignore Emma and make her own decisions about Alice. She ands Lily were even managing to be civil to each other….that is until one Thursday during music…..

* * *

Lauren was sat beside a young boy talking in low tones. "C'mon Seth! Ya know ya wanna!"" Lauren told him flashing him her greatest smile.

He simply looked at her. "Why would I?"

"Who wouldn't want to be in a band wi me? Howay yee on the drums and me on guitar, all we need is like one other person and our band is complete!"

"I have no proof you can play guitar."

"I play well actually!" she told him haughtily.

He snorted. "Prove it!"

She spotted the guitars in the corner. "We're playing keyboards this term. Later…."

"You want to be in my band so badly then do it before the end of this lesson! If not than no!"

She narrowed her eyes. "IF I do then its MY band!" she countered.

He shook his head. "You won't do it."

She grinned eyeing the guitars again, specifically the electric one. "You distract the teacher I'll set up the amp and the electric guitar and then I'll prove why I'll be the guitar and the lead singer!"

"You're sure of yourself." he drawled scribbling something down.

"I have a right to be." smirked cockily.

"No soppy stuff either, proper music!" he warned.

"I have a perfect song in mind!" wiggled her eyebrows.

"Cool."

Lauren returned to her seat wondering what she was gonna do, she taught herself by ear, and she had been practising one particular song during her lunch break but it had really hard fingering she hadn't quite got right yet….she looked at Seth and he shrugged. This song was hard but she could pull it off! "Do it now." she mouthed and slid off her seat. She didn't see Lily watching her curiously.

Lily saw her head for the guitars and shook her head.

Seth had already flagged the teacher over and Lauren went to the cupboard getting out an amp and plugging it in. She hated having to prove herself, but if she wanted this and she did then she had no choice. Seth was a brilliant drummer, he was in the school band but was growing bored and she overheard him saying he wanted to set up his own band. She was ALL over that, she loved music! But because she didn't know any chords he refused to consider her, until she proved herself! After placing the wire in the guitar she switched the amp on, placed her fingers in position, looked at Seth and grinned cockily then without thinking began playing. "Well I'm not gonna lie how can I put this easy? I try and try but for what? Just to please you, its true. You're wasting my time, you're just a waste of time and I don't see why I should listen to someone who can't listen to themselves, just listen to yourself!" she sang.

"Lauren put that down!" the teacher demanded heading for her. Lauren rounded a corner, the wire stretching.

"Fake it! You'll never get ahead of it. Trace it, back to where you started cause back tracking, back tracking never got you nothing!" (one step forward two steps back)

The teacher was now chasing Lauren around the room and she was proving that she could not only be chase but also carrying on playing, while laughing, while singing. She glanced at Seth who was looking at her with a smile.

"And if you fake it, they'll never know your real name. Trace it, just to find its such a shame. You wasted your chance, tasted everything before you ever held…." her arm was strumming quickly, fingers moving like lightning….but the teacher had boxed her into a corner. The guitar was torn from her hands.

"Ya could let iz finish!" Lauren moaned.

The teacher glared and Lauren looked at Seth. "Whaddya think then?" she asked as she was being escorted from the room, the teacher with a death grip on her arm.

"Definitely!"

"YES!" Lauren crowed, laughed and punched the air. Then she looked at Lily who was staring at her darkly.

* * *

For the rest of the morning Lauren was sat outside the deputy heads office and once the adrenaline wore off she realised she was in DEEP trouble! All in all though the day hadn't been too bad, ok maybe she was about to be expelled but she and Seth were forming a band! She spotted her dad walking down a hallway and smiled at him sheepishly.

"Lauren?" he asked.

"I disrupted my music lesson and my teacher had to chase me around the room."

"What did you do?" he breathed.

"Well I only played the guitar."

"That doesn't sound too bad." he told her.

"I plugged in an amp and began singing too, but I needed to impress someone!"

"Who?" he asked suspiciously.

"This boy called Seth…."

"Oh this keeps on getting better, there's a boy involved!" he rubbed his forehead. "You girls are going to be the death of me you know that!"

"It wasn't like that!" she protested. "He's setting up a band, he's the drummer and he has me on guitar….but I had to prove myself and he only gave me until the end of the lesson to do it!" she gave Danny her best wounded puppy look.

He smiled and shook his head. "Let me do all the talking and look sorry!"

Her face lit up when she saw she had his support, then in the blink of an eye she went from overjoyed to contrite and wide eyed. "Is that ok?"

He nodded feeling shocked, seemed like both of his daughters had their mothers talent for acting, he wouldn't have believed she was smiling mere seconds before.

"C'mon then!" she jumped up from her seat. "Let's do it! An thanks for not going wild on iz!"

He cocked his head towards the door and she slumped her shoulders as he knocked. They were granted entering and Lauren shuffled her feet as she walked eyes glued to the floor. Her dad and the headmaster shook hands briskly.

"Would you both like take a seat?" the headmaster asked.

A question like that would have elicited a response from Lauren like what? Take it home? Thanks but she held her tongue. She had to act like she was sorry even though she wasn't. So she sat down, head bowed hands clasped tightly on her lap.

Danny sat beside her and was certain she was sincere, till she looked at him sideways and shot him a cheeky second long grin and a wink. Wow this kid was good!

"Your daughter seriously disrupted many lessons today Mr Trevanion!" the headmaster said leaning forward in his seat.

Danny looked at Lauren.

"She used a musical instrument and other items without permission and when asked to stop she refused. After persistent refusals the teacher had to resort to chasing her around the classroom to stop her."

Laurens head hung lower.

"That is unacceptable!"

"I completely understand and agree Mr Booma. I can give you my word that this won't happen again, will it Lauren?"

"I won't." Lauren told them and looked at the headmaster. "I promise."

"You are on your final warning young lady, any more incidents and she is out."

"What about my hair?" she asked. "Cant I please keep it pink? It doesn't have to be three colours. I just don't like my blond hair, pink is so much better!"

The headmaster gave her a cold look.

She nodded. "Ok, blond it is."

"Well I love your natural hair colour Lauren." Danny told her. "You got it from me after all." and he looked at the headmaster. "And I will ensure she doesn't get her hands on anymore hair dye."

The headmaster nodded. "Now Lauren can you please leave while I speak to your father in private."

Lauren nodded again and she got up and left. A wide smile on her face. As soon as Lauren was out of earshot the headmaster spoke. "Her teacher said she was good."

Danny frowned. "What?"

"She disrupted her lesson playing the electric guitar but she played well, exceptionally well and her voice was in tune and powerful for her age. Does she have any kind of music lessons?"

"No."

"We'd advise you to nurture her talent, she needs a little fine tuning but given the right advice she could be great."

"I'll take it under consideration." Danny told him, already deciding to get Lauren a manual and a electric guitar and talk to her about lessons. "Is that all?"

The headmaster replied with, "Yes, but I meant it, one more incident and she is out."

"She'll be as good as gold." Danny assured.

"I hope so."

Danny left and found Lauren humming staring up at a display. A photo of Lily on stage kneeling, face in her hands crying, was what she was looking at specifically. There was one beside it Lily stood, back straight smiling widely as it had finished. They were taken at last years school production. Lauren was frowning almost like she was confused.

"She a good actress?" Lauren asked softly.

"Yeah." Danny told her standing by her side. "She was the lead in the school play last year and is touted for it this year too."

Lauren nodded. "She is really like Alice then huh? Looks like her, has talents like her. Acts like her too." she whispered. "Not like me."

Danny put his arm around her shoulder. "C'mon, lets go home. You're suspended for the rest of the week."

"Sorry." she said sheepishly walking out of the entrance.

"Now for some reason I don't believe that!" he said playfully.

She laughed. "Now would I lie to my dad…." and she realised what she said, blushed and hurried on ahead.

Danny after grinning like an idiot hurried after her. Her head was down.

"Hey, you can call me dad you know." he told her softly.

She exhaled and stopped beside their car. "How come you feel like dad but Alice doesn't feel like mum?"

He had a feeling because he spent more time with her. "These things take time, it'll come."

She nodded and scuffed the toe of her shoes on the floor. "Do you mind if I continue to call you Danny? Just for now?"

He shook his head. "Not at all." he was happy to know she was thinking of him as her dad.

She smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

"Anyway." he started changing the subject. "I was wondering whether you wanted your own guitar." he opened he door to the car. "You'll need one if you are joining a band."

"You don't mind?" her eyes shining with hope.

"Lily has her horses, you have your guitar." and she climbed in.

"About the horses, do you think Lily would mind if I went riding with her?"

"We could ask, what's brought this on?" he asked swinging from our of the car park and onto the road.

Lauren shrugged watching the buildings pass. "We're sisters you know? Ad like to try and get to know ah if ah can."

He nodded. "I'll ask her."

"Cool."

"Anyway, lets get this guitar for you and then get home. We have a party at Mara later. Dupe and Caroline have been married twenty five years and me and your mum said we'd go, with you and Lily of course."

* * *

Lights flashed across a darkened room, Danny and Alice were dancing slowly as music swirled, people were milling about everywhere. Lily was stood with a circle of girls laughing and Lauren was alone at a table. She hadn't really lived here long enough to have made friends yet and she wasn't gonna expect Danny to sit by her side all night. He and Alice deserved some time alone after all. She watched them as they danced and she could see how much they loved each other right there. Alice had her head rested on his chest and he seemed to be leaning over and whispering to her which was making her smile. Then as the dance finished he released her and raised her hand to his lips. Alice laughed heartily, how much she loved him clear to see. He too seemed to smile in return…..and it made Lauren feel slightly nauseous as why she was here appeared bright in her mind. She loved Danny, she really did. But he loved Alice and Alice was the enemy and even though she was trying to force that out of her mind she could hear Emma in her head chipping away at everything. She put her head in her hands, when a young girl approached.

"Hi." she said.

Lauren looked around. "You talking to me?"

She nodded. "I saw you here and I wondered if you wanted company."

Lauren shrugged. "Take a seat."

The girl sat down. "What's your name?"

"I'm Lauren."

" I don't recognise you."

Lauren shook her head sipping her drink. "I haven't lived here long. Do you know Lily Trevanion?"

The girl nodded.

"She's my twin."

"Well I'm Amber, Anders Du Plessis is my granddad."

Lauren smiled. "Nice to meet you."

The two girls were remained locked in conversation until Dupe came over and wanted a dance with his granddaughter leaving Lauren alone. Lauren needed to go to the bathroom anyway so she got up.

Lily saw her and motioned some of her friends to follow. She aimed to show up Lauren like Lily had been shown up in music today.

Lauren was walking around searching for some sort of sign to where the loos were when she ended up outside. She spotted a pool that was lit and it looked really pretty in the moonlight, she wasn't going to get too close though, she knew better….. She turned to leave and saw Lily flanked by three girls. Lauren smiled at her.

"Lily." Lauren said nochalantly.

"You showed me up in front of everyone today, I'm getting labelled a trouble maker coz of you!" Lily seethed.

"No Lily, I made you look good today, ah mean a kicked ass playing that guitar."

"Sounded like noise to me." a girl behind her perked up.

"An al break ya jaw if ya talk to iz like that again!" Lauren warned.

"Ya talk big but you're all alone!" Lily laughed.

Lauren shrugged. "One or four, make no difference, the result will be the same. Can't keep Geordies down!"

"Can't keep you down huh? Well lets see if you float!" Lily shouted, two girls grabbed her right arm, Lily and the remaining girl grabbed her left and threw her backwards. Lauren was threw with so much force that she ended up at the far end of the pool, the deep end and she couldn't swim. Her arms were flailing and she was panicking, but she didn't yell for help, she had her pride. Lily and her friends were laughing so much that they didn't see how much difficulty she was in until she sunk and then didn't resurface.

"Lauren?" Lily called and looked at her friends.

Lauren didn't come up. "Oh shit!" Lily shouted and jumped in, swam across and dove for her. "Help me!" Lily shouted to her friends when she resurfaced with Lauren, her arm around Laurens chest. But they didn't stay to help, they ran. Lauren was limp as she swam with her to the edge. She was trying to push her onto solid ground when two hands lifted Lauren out of the pool. Expecting to see her mum she was surprised to see Mandy.

"Help me." Lily asked climbing out.

"What the hell happened?" Lauren was lain flat and Mandy blew air into her mouth. She did chest compressions as Lily moved the hair from Laurens face. Lauren coughed and spluttered and water erupted from her mouth, she inhaled deeply. She looked at Mandy then Lily's guilty face.

"What happened?" she whispered.

"You don't know?" Mandy asked.

Lauren shook her head, then looked at Lily in warning.

"Lily go get your mum and dad." Mandy told her. "I'm gonna take her to the living room." and she helped Lauren to her feet.

Lily found her mum and dad dancing closely to Howie Day, Collide. She patted her dad on the shoulder. He turned and saw her soaking wet. "Lily?"

"There's been an accident." she whispered.

"Are you alright?" Alice asked cupping her face checking her injuries.

"Not with me, with Lauren." and without saying a word she led them to Mandy's living room. They found Lauren wrapped up in some towels, pale. Lauren had somehow convinced Mandy to agree not to tell Alice and Danny that anything major happened.

Danny saw her and went to her. "Are you ok?" he asked rubbing her cheek softly.

Mandy handed Lily some towels. "Thanks."

Lauren sat up. "Tell them Lily!" Lauren demanded.

Lily closed her eyes.

"Tell them how far you were willing to go to get rid of me!" Lauren shouted.

"I didn't….I didn't know you couldn't…." Lily stammered.

"I'd better be going." Mandy said. "I think Davy needs me." even though he was being babysat in the kids club part of the hotel.

"Lily?" Danny asked.

"I'm sorry." Lily told them. "If I'd known she couldn't swim I would never have thrown her in the pool."

Alice frowned. "It was you?"

"Yeah, she and her friends threw me into the pool without stopping to ask if I could swim, my last conscious thought was her and her friends laughing while I sunk! I wanted to know you Lily, I wanted to try!"

"It was supposed to embarrass you, that's all."

"I CAN'T swim!" Lauren yelled. "I'm bloody terrified of water!"

"You didn't act like you were scared, you told me you could take the four of us out."

"Yeah and it took four of you didn't it?" Lauren covered her face. "Thanks Lil, its nice to know you care!" and she got up and went into the kitchen. Danny got up and followed her, he didn't even look or talk to Lily who stood there in a small puddle.

"If I'd known mum I'd have never….."

Alice nodded. "That's the issue isn't it? We don't know her."

Lily exhaled, "Will we ever know her? Really?"

And in that moment Alice resolved to find out if her daughter was in fact the same person that left or a different one altogether.

* * *

The next morning after Lily was off to school Alice was sat in the living room reading a script for a movie she was being offered. Lauren was sat in the study in front of a computer screen playing her manual guitar, every so often she would pause the music and play what she heard and sing softly. Since she and Danny had bought it Alice hadn't seen it out of her hands. Well except for the disaster of a party last night. She and Danny had barely spoke after and neither had the girls. It seemed the house was well and truly divided over this.

She looked over at Lauren again, she seriously couldn't figure this kid out! In the week since she received the 'present' she'd had nothing else. Lauren hadn't threatened her or anything. She had been trying hard in school, visiting the surgery and absolutely doted on Danny. They were always chatting or laughing, more so recently. This was worrying, when Lauren was angry she was far easier to predict but everything was quiet. No one on the London team could seem to find any connection to Alistair or Emma, they were searching though. What is she was just being paranoid. She had to know though, she had spent all of last night wondering how to find out if Lauren was the same girl and she had an idea. She put the script down. "Lauren?"

The girl in question turned her head.

"I was wondering if you could play something for me on your guitar."

"What?"

"A song by Brandi Carlile. Its all acoustic."

Lauren considered it. "If I can, I learn by ear. I can't read sheet music."

Alice went over and found an instrumental. Lauren listened it through nodding. "Give me an hour, sounds simple enough." she began plucking her strings. "Why'd you want me to learn it if you can get the instrumental on computer?" Lauren added.

"You'll see." Alice told her and left while Lauren practised. If Danny found our about what she was about to do he'd hit the roof! So she had to be quick. An hour later Alice returned to her and Lauren was frowning confused.

"Are you ok?" Alice asked.

"Do I na this song coz I was playing and it sounds sp familiar to me."

Alice motioned to the guitar, "Can you play it?"

"Yeah, but where have ah heard it?" Lauren asked.

"Play it for me."

"Not til ya tell iz where I heard it!" Lauren repeated stubbornly.

"Play it please, as a favour."

Lauren looked at Alice, remembered her promise to herself to try and moved her fingers into position. "It won't be perfect."

"It doesn't have to be, anything you play will be fine." Alice told her. "Close your eyes."

Lauren looked at her like she was crazy.

"In for a penny, in for a pound." Alice told her. "Go on it wont hurt!"

Lauren shook her head, her lids lowered and she began to play softly. Alice let Lauren settle into a beat before she sat next to her and sang softly.

"Rock a bye baby it won't be long. One magic kiss and a soft little song, sleepy head eyes and a great big yawn or two. Goodnight I love you."

Alice's voice was low and hypnotising, exactly how it was when she used to sing this to her girls. Lauren was strumming, a tentative almost remembering smile on her face.

"Rock a bye baby sweetest of dreams, honeycomb hills and rivers of cream, big daffodils of orange and green and blue. Goodnight, I love you."

Alice carried on and felt her heart lurch when she heard Lauren whisper the last words. She seemed to be lost in her playing so Alice raised her hand slowly. "Goodnight to all and to all a goodnight. The stars have come out and the moon shining bright I'll see you again at the first morning light and new. Goodnight, I love you." and Alice ran her hand down Laurens cheek. Lauren rested into it momentarily and Alice felt her hearts swell, this was her daughter, this was her Lauren…. Until Lauren caught herself and jumped off the sofa. Her guitar falling to the floor with a clatter. Lauren was staring at her absolutely seething.

"What have ya just dun, what was that?" Lauren asked shaking.

"I used to sing that song to you and Lily at bedtime."

"So what was that? A stroll down memory lane?" Lauren shouted.

"That was me reminding you of a time when you knew I loved you. Tell me you didn't remember!" Alice challenged.

Laurens jaw was clenched, eyes glistening. She did remember. She remembered Alice saying it and she remembering hugging her mum and saying it back she remembered safety and warmth…..and then she remembered the dark and cold too. "That isn't fair!" Lauren yelled. "Do you know how hard all this is for me? I don't need memories too!" and Lauren swiped at the tears that fell.

"I know." Alice whispered. "But I had to know."

"Had to know what?" Lauren asked voice shuddering with genuine emotion. "Whether you could make me cry? Well done, mission accomplished, I'm not as hard as I like to think!"

"No, I need to know if you were the same girl."

"And you couldn't have just asked me? Why dee that?"

"The only time I see the real you is when you're either angry or sad. I'm sorry I had to upset you, but you only let Danny in."

Lauren looked at her eyes red rimmed. "I'll never forgive you for this." and picked her guitar up.

"One thing came from this." Alice said as Lauren was leaving.

Lauren halted but didn't look back at her.

"I'm getting my daughter back."

Lauren shook her head and went into her room. Stood her guitar on her stand and threw herself on her bed, pounded a pillow over an over again with her fist, what was wrong with her? Didn't she remember the reason she was here? Lauren turned her head and saw Danny walking up to the house, instead of looking at him she pressed her face harder into the pillow, an insistent little voice telling her that she could be happy here, she could throw her phone away, give the police the information they needed. She had a dad here who loved her! And Alice was obviously trying, that song there proved she wanted to know her….. But why was she trying a malicious voice asked. Emma voice was back in her head as loud as ever, reminding her of what they lost because of Alice. Alice had to have a motive for getting close to her.

Sick of feeling conflicted she rolled across her bed and walked into her bathroom, without turning the light on she splashed water on her face, looked up at her refection in the mirror, Danny's face looking back at her. Her dad's eyes, her dad's nose, she was all him, and he loved Alice. She bowed her head hands braced against the sink. Her head was pounding, all she wanted was some relief! Just one day of not being confused and suspicious. She wanted a dad, and she wanted the band and she wanted school. She wanted to stay here, she even wanted Lily, even after she tried to hurt her! She wanted a sister, hence her riding tonight. She wasn't too sure of horses but she was going to try. A knock at the door broke her thoughts. She was walking out of the bathroom when Danny walked in her room. He was smiling at her and she smiled in return worries pushed to the back of her mind.

"You might want to get ready for riding early. Lily will be ready five minutes after she gets in."

Lauren nodded. "She alreet wi me coming?"

She hadn't but Danny hadn't gave her a choice, especially after the party incident. "Yeah she is."

"Will you be there?"

Danny nodded. "Sure will, I'm not the best rider. Lily's horse kicked out at me." he winced. "It hurt like hell!"

She laughed. "I'll be careful."

**A/N straight up unchecked so there may be mistakes *sorry* but anyway this was a hard chappie for lauren! But horse riding with lily later may be a turning point, or not. Alice is starting to see her as her child and of course danny is having a big influence on lauren...ooooo...lots happening as lauren makes some important decisions (later)...but how will this impact everyone else?**


	19. Danny's Three Girls

Lily arrived home from school and tired to voice her unhappiness about Lauren coming riding but Danny didn't listen, he was thrilled Lauren was willing to try, even after the party fiasco and Lily was going to try too! And if she didn't try then Lily wasn't going riding, upon hearing that threat she finally relented. She still didn't like it though, riding was her thing, and it was something she did with her dad too so Lauren encroaching on that time was almost a mortal sin! On the ride to the stables Lily sat in the back sulking beside Lauren not saying a word, you could cut the tension in the car with a knife! Lily's face was blatantly surly.

"So you have two horses then?" Lauren asked.

Lily shot her a dark look and looked away.

Lauren exhaled heavily, Danny looked at her apologetically and she shrugged in resignation. Lily had never tried to get along with Lauren so why would she try now? They pulled into the stables after twenty oppressive minutes which grew steadily worse. Danny halted Lily after Lauren climbed from the car.

"Give it a try huh? She is!"

"Why should I?" she hissed. "She is making my life hell! Do you realise what I'm going through at school because of her and now because of the pool incident my friends aren't talking to me! You didn't have to call their parents!"

"Yes I did, Lauren couldn't swim!" he told her angrily.

"I don't care, the horses are MY thing!"

"Give it a try!" he repeated.

"Is that an order?"

"Yes!"

She gave him a look that should have killed him on the spot. "Fine!" she spat and climbed out of the car.

The three of them were heading towards Candy's stall when Cory came running for Danny. "Danny we need you, one of the mares has just collapsed and our vet isn't here. Can you come see her?"

Danny was torn between Lily and Lauren or his job. "Go on dad, I won't leave without you." Lily assured.

"Meet you by Candy's stall ok?" he told them smiling at each girl individually.

Lily turned towards the stall and Lauren followed.

"Yee been riding long?" Lauren asked as Lily opened the door to her horses.

"Just over five years, closer to six." smiled widely at Candy. "Hey girl." and rubbed her nose affectionately.

Lauren nodded eyeing the horse, it was big and Lauren was small…..this didn't bode well. "After me then?" Lauren whispered. Oh God what if she fell off? Or got trampled? She gulped.

"Yeah." Lily replied dryly then looked at Rocky then Lauren. Cory mentioned he wasn't bucking anymore or bolting he was just angry when people sat on him. Maybe if she scared Lauren off she wouldn't come to the stables anymore. This was her haven, her place to be Lily, not Alice Collins daughter, or a twin, she was just Lily and her horses and Lauren wasn't wanted here! She wasn't wanted at her school either but she had no choice in that, she was getting yelled at all the time because Lauren couldn't behave. They were even starting to call her a troublemaker and that wasn't fair, she hadn't done anything wrong! Everyone kept on asking about Lauren now too, when was she back at school, she was cool she could play guitar, all the teachers were scared of her coz she did what she wanted! It was doing her head in! She looked at Lauren pasting her best innocent face. "Want a ride now?"

"Ah think al wait for Danny thanks." no doubt Lily would put her on the killer horse!

"Look, these two are my horses, Candy and Rocky, both of them are as tame as can be. Mum and dad wouldn't give me a dangerous horse would they?"

"I guess not." Lauren answered wearily, something felt off Lily's face was just to….she couldn't put her finger on it. "Are you sure? I mean Rocky doesn't sound like the name of a tame horse!"

"Steer clear of Candy, she only lets me ride her, she kicked dad where it hurts!"

"Really?" Lauren asked as Lily led Rocky into the pen.

"Totally." Lily said taking the saddle from Lauren. "I thought he was gonna cry!" Lily smiled. "Dads funny like that sometimes. I'm sure he said something about hoping mum wanting no more kids too!"

"Ewww!" Lauren declared making a face.

Lily nodded an agreement, "My thoughts exactly!"

"Will they have any more kids do ya think?" Lauren asked.

Lily shrugged. "Dunno, not that you're back they can go on with life." knelt down tightening the saddle.

"Whaddya mean?"

"Everything sort of stopped when they lost you, it changed too."

Lauren frowned and crossed her arms. "Ah think I changed too." Lauren admitted.

Lily stared at her a moment.

"I get flashes of memory sometimes." she smiled wryly lost in one. "With you mostly playing. I remember that you used to plan stuff, I think I was quieter then." she said softly musing. "And you used to encourage me to come play, like this one time at nursery….."

Lily was frowning wondering why was Lauren telling her this?

"These girls were playing in the dolls corner and I was too and they took something off me…."

Lily's eyes widened. "I got it back for you." Lily finished.

Lauren nodded. "You always did that from what I remembered, took care of me."

"I'm um…..I'm the oldest, it was my job to look after you."

Lauren smiled. "Really? I would have said I'm the older one, dunno why."

Lily shook her head. "Twelve minutes."

Lauren nodded. "Well thanks anyway, for looking after me then and doing this now. I know it isn't easy being around me coz I can be a right bitch but you're my sister and I want to try and everything I said earlier in London and stuff." Lauren shook her head. "I don't ever want to hurt you. You're my twin, if something happened to you I'd…..well I dunno bit I suppose I'd feel different."

Lily nodded. "I felt lost when you gone." she admitted. "I thought you left because I didn't want to actually go to the beach that day, me and dad were excited for the theme park and all you wanted was to build sandcastles and I was trying to hurry mum up."

"I don't remember that day." Lauren ran her hand down Rocky's neck absently. "Its all just so…..dark…." frowning. "…..and cold…..so much cold." she added as a whisper. "It was warm at home…..but not where I was…."

The way Lauren was acting was starting to scare Lily. It was like she was back there, her voice so distant. Lily cleared her throat and it snapped Lauren back to reality.

"Anyway I'm ready to ride….." Lauren grabbed the reins and pulled herself onto Rocky's back.

Lily who had decided this was a bad idea tried to stop her…."Wait!"

Lauren settled and Rocky began to paw the ground angrily neighing angrily. Lauren shot Lily a look, "is he supposed….."

Lauren didn't get time to finish because as Lily lunged for the reins Rocky bolted. Laurens eyes widened and she screamed high and shrill. The horse galloped down the field, Lauren bouncing from side to side almost falling clinging to the reins.

Danny saw it and paled. "LAUREN!"

She saw him. "DAD!" she yelled as the horse seemed to fly passed. The horse reached the fence and Lauren thought he was about to jump it and she was gonna end up last when he stopped abruptly. Lauren however didn't stop and came off the horse, flying over his head, gliding somewhat gracefully through the air and landing on her head with a thump. She rolled across the floor and came to a stop on her side unmoving.

Lily ran down to where her sister lay and climbed through the fence, Lauren lay eyes closed blood flowing down her lip.

Danny vaulted over a fence and Lily backed off breathing heavily, chewing her lip.

"Lauren?" Danny asked rolling her gently. "Lauren?"

Lauren moaned, opened her eyes a crack and tried to lift her head. "Owww….." she blinked. "Dear God, me life flashed before me eyes!" she said dramatically. "That horse is a devil! it's a killer horse!"

Danny looked at her eyes for sign of head trauma. "You ok?"

Lauren tried to nod then decided against it. "I think so."

"Sit still." he told her. "Cory is coming. What happened?"

Ok, Lily thought. This is it, the end of her relationship with her dad! Lily sighed. "Dad it was…."

Lauren looked at her and cut her off. "Lily told iz to wait for you but I wouldn't. She got Rocky out into the pen to let him have a walk around and she told me not to try and ride him coz he's a hard guy but I had to try! Am too cocky for me own good and got on him anyway. He bolted and I almost had a heart attack!"

Danny looked at Lily for an affirmative. Lauren did too. Lily nodded mutely.

Danny looked at Lauren. "Well that was daft wasn't it"!" he declared and ran his hand down her cheek.

"I was daft for thinking it might be different. That I might actually be wrong!"Lauren gave Lily a sad look.

"Dad look…." Lily began.

"Lily's about to say I shouldn't come here again…." Lauren began.

"No…." Lily said.

"And I agree!" Laurens voice cold and hard, her expression Lily had seen in London, Lily exhaled. "Lily deserves her space and ah won't invade it again."

"C'mon Lauren don't be like this." Danny told her. "It was one daft mistake."

"One I won't make again. Lily tried to warn me." she said pointedly, a double meaning to her words. "Didn't you?"

Lily felt shame fill her. "Dad…."

"It won't happen again will it?" Laurens voice colder than before.

Danny noticed Cory wave him over "Don't move Lauren, Lils watch her yeah?" and got up to meet Cory halfway.

Lily knelt down. "I'm sorry." she whispered. "Really!"

Lauren sat up and ignore the pounding resounding in her skull. "I don't care! I did it for Danny not you! He doesn't deserve to lose two daughters!"

"But he….."

Danny returned and Lily didn't finish her statement.

* * *

Lauren sat in the living room surrounded by pillows, guitar by her side, laptop propped on her knee. She was practising the lyrics to a new song that Seth suggested when Lily walked in. "Hey." Lily said. "You want a drink? Sandwich?"

"I'll get it meself thanks." Lauren drawled and continued looking at the computer intently.

Lily walked over to the fire and clicked it on. A flame on the logs seemed to leap to life, Lily sat crossed legged on the white rug.

"It's weird it being winter here." Lauren said absently. "I'm used to summer in July."

"Mum and dad usually go away around this time, my favourite place was the Caribbean islands. They kept me off school for a month once and took me boating along them all. I had loads of work to do off teachers. Mum is such a swot!"

"A month long jollie? I feel so sorry for you." Lauren said sarcastically.

Silence fell.

"Why'd you lie to dad like that? What did you mean about losing both of us?"

Lauren sat up and put the computer on the floor. "Danny's a good guy, blind when it comes to his three girls but still good. Knowing what you did, after the party thing would really hurt him, ah didn't want that."

Lily frowned. "You care about him?"

"Howay is that really so hard to believe?" Lauren snapped.

"Well with the way you treated me and mum….."

"How about the way the two of you treated me? I'm not some weirdo with two heeds and yet you look at me like I'm off a foreign planet or someink. Am not evil ok! am not a monster! Yes I am capable of caring for someone. It's as hard for me as it is for you, more so because yee have ya mum and dad and here I am, alone!"

"They are yours too."

Lauren laughed. "Ya having a laugh right? If a mum is someone who deliberately sets you up to prove a point and make ya cry then yes Alice is my mum and Danny he tries really hard, but too hard, I need him to be normal!"

"Mum made you cry?" Lily gasped.

Lily saw Lauren clench her jaw.

"What happened?"

Lauren shook her head. "Nothing ok!"

"Lauren…."

"As far as am concerned it is the three of yee on one side and me on the other." and she sat back and picked the laptop up. "It's the way it has to be."

"No it doesn't….."

"So if ah was someone else you would have still put me on Rocky?" Lauren challenged. "If I was the Lauren from years agan?"

Lily blushed with embarrassment.

"Yeah thought so!" slammed the laptop shut. "WHY Lily? Huh? Why throw me in a pool when I can't swim then put me on a horse you know could hurt me?"

Lily remained silent.

"I deserve that much!"

"I wanted to teach you a lesson! I wanted to keep you away from my horses!"

Lauren stared at her, then smiled darkly. "You're good, I'll give you that. If I hadn't almost broke my neck I'd congratulate on a job well done. There's always next time huh?" wiggled her eyebrows. "Guess I was wrong, we are alike."

That wasn't the reply Lily expected, it made her feel contrite. "I am sorry."

Lauren shrugged. "Doesn't matter does it? Its done now! You win!"

Lily frowned. "I win what?"

"You and Alice are getting what you want!" Lauren told her.

Pieces began to connect in Lily's head, "What did you mean with the losing two daughters comment?"

"What do yee think?"

Lily shook her head.

"Its nothing ok!" Lauren finished exhaling. "Just a few thoughts I'm having."

Lily resolved to get her dad to speak to Lauren, Lily was scared she was gonna do something daft like run away! "Anyway if you need anything?"

"Ah won't so leave iz alone."

* * *

The sun was just beginning to set, Lauren was watching it sat on the stairs on the veranda, strumming her guitar softly. The colours here just inspired her and if she knew how she would have wrote a song immortalising the moment, but she couldn't. Eventually though. One day there wouldn't be anything she couldn't do! She looked across the horizon wondering whether she should go with her idea or ignore it. She shook her head trying to force away the melancholy thoughts, positioned her fingers on her guitar and strummed while singing softly.

"I stare at my reflection in the mirror, why am I doing this to myself? Losing my mind on a tiny error, I nearly left the real me on the shelf. Ohhhh. Don't lose who you are, in the blur of the star seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing and its ok not to be ok. Sometimes its hard, to follow your heart, tears don't mean your losing everybody's bruising, just be true to who you are."

She shifted so her legs lay across the top stair, rested back on the pillar and began to lose herself in the lyrics.

"Brushing my hair do I look perfect? I've forgotten what to do to fit the mould. The more I try the less its working, yeah, when everything inside me screams no no no no no no no no no. Don't lose who you are, in the blur of the star seeing is deceiving dreaming is believing its ok not to be ok sometimes its hard to follow your heart tears don't mean your losing, everybody's bruising just be true to who you are….."

She finished the last word as a squeak when she saw Danny leaning against the door frame smiling at her. "Wow, I can't believe that's you!"

"Would ya believe iz if ah said ah was miming?"

He laughed. "You've got a gift. You're voice is beautiful."

Lauren snorted. "You're supposed to say stuff like that, you're me dad. Ya not ganna tell iz if ah sound horrendous like!"

"Ok I admit I wouldn't say if you sounded bad, but I would have walked away to leave you to it. I was wondering whether you wanted singing lessons and guitar lessons so you can read music."

Lauren looked down at her guitar and plucked a string then sighed and put it down.

Danny sat beside her. "What's on your mind?"

"Promise iz ya won't go mental and ya'll listen to what ave got to say?"

"Lauren?"

"Please." she pleaded.

He nodded.

Lauren inhaled deeply. "Ave been thinking that maybe …." she frowned. "Maybe I don't fit here."

Danny was confused. "Of course you fit here. You're mother is here, I'm here your twin sister is here, where else would you fit?"

"I know but…."

His face hardened. "Is this about Alice?"

"No no!" she said quickly.

Far too quickly for Danny's liking.

"Look Alice has tried and it's just too hard for all of us and …." she swallowed. "Maybe it might be best if I go into care or even send iz back to Newcastle. I'm the same as everyone else there. Am dead grateful for everything but…" she shook her head sadly.

"You finished?"

She nodded.

"No." he told her calmly and simply. "You're my child and we've spent far too long apart. You belong here with your family. I'm not losing you again!"

"Ano I don't want to leave but…" she rubbed her forehead "Someone is gonna get hurt if ah stay!" she stressed.

"You're staying ok! I mean it! You aren't going anywhere! I'm gonna sort this out right now actually." and he got up and walked inside the house with purpose.

"Oh dammit man!" Lauren muttered dropping her head in her hands causing her to grimace with pain. "It wasn't supposed to happen like that now he's gonna kick off with Lily or Alice!" she picked up her guitar again and carried on playing, softer this time hoping that sometime during the song she'd disappear like the words as she sang them. "Don't loose who you are, in the blur of a star, seeing is deceiving dreaming is believing….." her voice lowered further. "It's ok not to be ok."

* * *

Danny stomped into the house, anger coursing through him, what was Lauren talking about? She wasn't going anywhere! He walked into the living room and saw Alice slam the phone down and push a file in the drawer, had he not been so angry he may have asked her what it was, he had a singular focus right now though. He came to a stop by the sofa.

"How many kids do we have Alice?"

She looked at him frowning. "What?"

"How many?" he repeated.

"Danny what is this?" she breathed not in the mood for any games tonight.

"Answer me!" he shouted. "How many kids do we have?"

She crossed her arms a belligerent expression on her face. "Maybe I'm not going to speak to you if you're going to act like this!"

He exhaled and looked at her eyes black.

She shrugged. "Two. Happy now?" walked away from the drawer as to not draw attention to it.

"Are you sure Alice?" he asked sarcastically.

"You know what Danny, stop with the word crap if you've got something to say then come right out and say it!"

"Fine!" took a step towards her. "We have two kids Alice, two! Act like it! Lauren is here!"

"Lauren doesn't want to know me Danny, she picks fights with me and lets not forget the comments she says when you're not around. The sun doesn't shine out of her like you seem to think!" and then there was the information she was given today, that was the final straw!

"She's our daughter Alice, she needs us, she need you, she's been through a lot! More than we think!"

"You want to try and tell me how to bring up our daughter? Lets talk about Lily then shall we?" she pointed to the hallway. "If you drag yourself away from Lauren long enough to notice Lily then you'd see she is suffering!"

"I notice Lily!"

"Danny ALL you hear is Lauren! All you see is Lauren! Do Lily and I even exist to you anymore?"

"I'm trying to help her settle, obviously you don't care!"

She took a step forward. "Don't try to tell me I don't care! You have no idea ow much I care, no idea what I'm going through right now! And if anyone doesn't care its YOU who doesn't care about Lily! You're pushing her out. I think you were wrong about who your favourite child is!"

His jaw dropped. "I don't have a favourite! You know that!"

"NO! I thought you didn't and I was obviously wrong!"

He closed his eyes and counted to five, he couldn't believe they were resorting to spitting nasty comments to one up the other. "All I want is for you to spend some quality time with our child. Is that so wrong?" he asked calmly. "She needs her mum Alice."

"She needs help Danny! Lily is terrified of her!"

Danny lost his temper at the dig at Lauren. "Why is that Alice?" he shouted. "Coz she was taken, God knows what happened to her!"

"Yeah and you blame me!" Alice yelling now.

"I never said that Alice!"

"You didn't have to!" she yelled. "Its written all over your face right now!" stared at him angrily.

"Alice I have never blamed you, how many times do I have to tell you?"

"Well I don't believe you!" crossed her arms and turned her back.

"Alice…." he started softly then realised and stopped himself. "Wow! You didn't half turn that one around did you? I talk about how you are neglecting Lauren and you make me feel bad?" he shook his head and threw his hands in the air. "And you know what? No! I'm sick of this!" walked from the living room and down the hallway. When she heard a door close she exhaled and walked towards the apex slowly, give him five minutes, he'd calm down and they'd talk it out same as always.

Five minutes later as predicted he exited the room, only this time a bag in his hand, their eyes met and she was suddenly worried. Before her face could betray her feelings he spoke.

"I'll stay at a hotel tonight, do you want me to take Lauren?"

The fact that he was leaving was secondary to the anger she now felt. "Why?" she spat. "Scared in case I lose her again?"

He walked down the hallway until they were face to face, neither spoke, he leant down and picked up his keys from the telephone table. "I'm not even gonna answer that one." he told her coldly and he headed for Lily's room, knocked then entered when Lily called, "C'min."

Alice closed her eyes as pain engulfed her.

Danny was now talking to his daughter. "Hey Lil's I just came to say goodnight."

She glanced at the clock on her wall. "It's really early."

"I know but I'm not staying here tonight, I'm leaving in a minute."

Lily's eyes widened. "Are you leaving mum and us?" sat up. "Is it for good? Will I ever…."

He sat opposite her. "Hey! Don't be daft why would I go? I have my three favourite girls, who would boss me around?"

She smiled relieved.

"It's a last minute conference I've been asked to speak at really west of Jo'burg and I'd have to leave here early to get there and I'd be shattered presenting and I haven't decided what to talk about yet so i'll be up all night planning so I'm going to a hotel."

Lily nodded. "You'll be fine! You said goodbye to mum yet?"

He faked a smile. "What do you think?"

"Eugh!"

Danny laughed and dropped a kiss on top of her head.

"I'll see you tomorrow yeah? We can do something? Swimming or something, just me and you."

"Really?" Lily asked eagerly. "No Lauren?"

"Just me and you!" her promised.

She nodded. "See you tomorrow dad." wrapped her arms around him. "Love you."

He hugged her close. "You know I love you too right?" he asked.

Lily hesitated then answered. "Yeah."

The hesitation tore at Danny. "You better be ready tomorrow. We have some bonding to catch up on!"

Lily beamed. "Brilliant."

He left her room expecting to see Alice in the hallway, he found it empty and exhaled, forced his feet to move as he left. Found Lauren where he left her, plucking strings on her guitar. If she heard his and Alice's exchange, which was very likely, she didn't let it show. She turned at the sound of the footsteps and saw the bag in his hand.

"Danny?"

"Conference tomorrow." he lied. Lauren wasn't as trusting as Lily.

She shook her head. "You're leaving coz of me aren't ya?"

"You heard all that then?" sat beside her.

"Hard not to, you were really going for it! I wouldn't have thought you and Alice would say stuff like that, I mean you love each other, why would you want to hurt the other so badly?"

He put an arm around her shoulder and hugged her close. "Here's a little life lesson, only the ones you love can hurt you, it doesn't really matter what someone says it's the meaning you attach to it that gives it significance. So it didn't matter what Alice says coz I know she doesn't mean it…..or I did, now?" he shrugged.

"See I told you someone would get hurt!" she told him.

"Hey, this isn't you ok! Me and Alice just need space that's all. When I come home tomorrow all will be back to normal."

Lauren believed that as much as he did, not a lot! She stared at him and could read in his face how much this was hurting him. "Go in and talk to her, don't shout and don't talk about me." she urged. "You'll work it out!"

He smiled at her sadly. "Don't worry about it."

"Danny…..dad…." she whispered, this was important! "Stay dad, please."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love hearing you call me that. I'll be back tomorrow ok? And if you need me call me."

Lauren nodded as he got up and climbed into the car. "Bye dad."

**A/N I really liked writing Lauren here, she is such a complex character, tough and yet vulnerable, you see more so next chapter!  
Danny and Alice (who never shout in this fic) shouting like there is no tomorrow, not good! (All of this angsty daniceness is essential to the story, all will be revealed later)  
Anyhoo I added in Lauren singing that song as it is relevant to Lauren and how she feels she HAS to be sometimes. Due to the pressures from Danny, Alice and pressures from Emma she is gradually losing herself (or possibly finding her true self hmmmm things to ponder)  
****Alice who in a previous chapter wanted to try with Lauren and now she gets a call and suddenly doesn't want to try anymore well well well….  
****Anyway next chapter is a belter if I do say so myself, I enjoyed writing it anyway!  
Thanks for reading and stay tuned! x**


	20. Bonding

Lauren had moved from the veranda after Danny left into the kitchen to do the homework Lily had brought home for her. She sighed as stared at the literacy in front of her.

"Why am I bothering? It'll only be wrong!" she breathed wishing Danny was here, he would helped her and not made her feel stupid about it. Giving up she pushed all her books and pens into her school bag and hid it under the table. That was how low she felt about this Danny and Alice stuff, she was doing her homework for gods sake!

To take her mind off everything she decided to flex her creative muscles and bake something. She loaded up the laptop in the study and found the recipe for cookies off a website, she printed it off and took it to the kitchen, rolled up her sleeves and washed her hands. She searched the cupboards and stood her ingredients side by side.

"These are gonna be the best cookies anyone has ever tasted…or possibly full on death machines. Ahhh I'll give em to Lily." Lauren said to herself smiling.

"Give me what?" Lily asked peeking over her shoulder.

Lauren jumped, "Am baking." Lauren said opening the flour and putting handfuls in a bowl.

"Shouldn't you measure your ingrediants with scales?"

Lauren shrugged. "Probably, am a novice."

"Fancy some help?"

Lauren was about to decline when she thought if she and Lily were friends it might make Danny stay home next time he wanted to walk out. "Grab an apron." grinned. "This will most definitely get messy!"

Lily picked up an apron and read the instructions. " It says add milk to the flour and sugar…..Lauren you're putting the milk in before the sugar!"

"Does it matter?"

"Yeah its supposed to be mixed!" and began pouring in sugar. Lauren poured in more milk and soon the bowl was full of milk, sugar and not enough flour.

"Is it supposed to be this…..liquid-y?" Lauren asked stirring it with a frown.

Lily shook her head.

"Ok, more flour then!" picked up the bag and poured it in. The liquid turned into a lumpy gloop.

"Oooooo-kay, this is a fail!" Lily said smiling.

"Can't say I'd eat it either!" Lauren agreed.

"How about this time we follow the instructions?"

Lauren was grinning. "How about you duck?" Lauren laughed and picked up a handful of gloop and threw it at her Lily who squealed and ducked. It hit the wall behind her head. "Oh you are so dead!" and picked up the flour.

Lauren grabbed the bowl and ducked behind a chair. She popped her head up and flour was in her face. She coughed laughing heartily grabbed another handful of gloop and threw it. She heard a scream, looked and saw Lily covered in it. She crawled on her hands and knees to the fridge and grabbed the box of eggs, threw some across shouting bombs away!

Lily had grabbed the cream ran across and threw it in her face. Lauren returned to her gloop grabbed two handfuls of it and thrust it in Lily's face. She and Lily were wrestling on the floor laughing heartily. Lauren rolled off Lily and they both lay on their backs laughing.

"This coulda went really wrong ya na." Lauren said. "I hate getting dirty."

Lily shrugged. "I wanted some fun with my sister, mum is gonna freak." the twins sat up and surveyed the damage.

"Oh we're so dead!" Lauren moaned as sticky egg dripped down the walls, along with sugar flour and gloop.

"You grab the dustpan and sweep up." Lauren said. "While I mop the walls."

Lily burst out laughing. "Mop the walls?"

"Yeah!" and they set to work. "Oh Lil's by the way."

Lily look at her.

"You have a little something on your face."

"Yeah well you have raw egg and shell in your hair."

"Guess that makes us twins then?" Lauren asked.

* * *

They cleaned in record time and showered then came back to make cookies. Lauren sieved while Lily measured out.

"Do you feel any better about school?" Lily asked scooping flour into a measuring bowl.

"Na, but I'll be fine."

"Dad said you didn't go to school back in the UK."

"I didn't." Lauren replied pouring some milk into a jug. "Wasn't as fun as it sounds. At least at school I'd get away from people."

Lily looked at Laurens uncovered arms, the scars that resided there. "You had it hard huh?"

"I used to think that it was something I did. I had no memory of you or Danny and Alice and actually believed Emma was my mum. I used to think your own mum doesn't hate you for nothing, so I must have done something really bad but its hard making up for something you don't remember you know?"

Lily nodded.

"It seemed the harder I tried to please her the more she hated me." Lauren frowned. "So I pretended to not care at all. I couldn't do anything right. She didn't really need a reason to be off with me."

"I think that when we're older we should go and kill her!" Lily said.

Lauren looked at her. "Why do you want to hurt her? You don't even know her."

"She took you from us, if she hadn't then dad would be here and no doubt he and mum would have more kids and you wouldn't never have had the issues you do and we'd be proper twins. I think she deserves what she gets."

Lily had measured out the ingredients and Lauren poured them in mixing.

"I can't tell the police you know." Lauren admitted. "I mean part of me knows I should but another part of me still thinks this person is my mum and you protect your family."

Lily didn't agree with that but remained silent.

Lauren made the dough and rolled it out, while Lily cut the biscuits Lauren washed the dishes. They heard a door open and saw Alice enter the house reading some notes from the surgery.

"This is only the beginning." Lily whispered. "She is always all quiet when dad is away, she really misses him, but with them arguing I think it'll get worse."

Lauren nodded, "I'll stay out of the way then."

Lily nodded. "Might be best, how about you come in my room and we'll do some homework?"

"I think it's shocking we get homework, don't we do enough work at school?"

Lily laughed.

"It cuts into me guitar time too!"

"How did you learn guitar?" Lily asked putting the biscuits in the oven.

Lauren took off her apron and washed her hands again. "Mum, or one of Emma's boyfriends was part of a band. She was with him a while and when Emma was out he used to teach me how to play. I think he felt sorry for me, if Emma was in a particularly bad mood he used to take her out so she wouldn't take it out on me. He was a really nice guy, Emma didn't like nice men much."

Lily noticed her rubbing her arm absently.

"Why didn't you go? Why didn't you run away?"

Lauren picked up her and bag and followed Lily into her room. "You know I've asked myself that a million times over the years, I used to plan what I'd do. I used to pretend that I was this baby who was switched at birth and my real mum and dad were looking for me."

"No way!" Lily gasped.

"Really! And one day they'd find me and we'd be a happy family. In my dreams I had a big sister and she took care of me and mum and dad loved us." Lauren saw Lily's look. "Honest, this is all true. Subconsciously I must have remembered something."

"She won't take you away again will she?" Lily asked.

Lauren lowered her voice. "She won't let me go without a fight." lowered her eyes. "You don't know what she wants me to do. Expects me to do!" Lauren swallowed hard. "And I can't Lily, I can't do it!" rubbed her head.

"What?" Lily asked softly.

Lauren looked torn then shook her head. "Lets get to work yeah?" Lauren paused. "Please don't ask me to tell you." she pleaded.

Lily nodded and pressed a button on a remote. A hi-fi appeared from what looked like a set of drawers.

"That is so cool!" Lauren murmured.

"I know!" Lily giggled and pressed play. Pink began to play from some speakers. They sat side by side Lily pointing out all the mistakes and Lauren saying what she'd change. Lily told her when she was right and corrected her when she was wrong. There was a knock and Lily's bedroom door opened.

"Hey Lil's do you know where Lauren…" Alice halted when she saw them sat on the bed side by side. An image engulfed her of the two of them sat the same way when they were five.

"We're doing homework." Lily told her.

"You been baking?"

"Our biscuits!" Lauren moaned. "Are they saveable"

"I think we could try to scrape off the burnt bits but there wouldn't be anything left."

Lily and Lauren looked at each and began to howl with laughter. Lily was lain on he back holding her stomach. Alice looked at them quizzically.

"Anyway I was just about to order a pizza for tea."

"I don't like pizza." both Lauren and Lily said in unison, then smiled.

"How about a Chinese instead?"

"Cool." they echoed.

Alice nodded and left the room.

"See?" Lily whispered when her mum left. "She's being weird."

Lauren shrugged. "I wouldn't know."

Lily nodded and saw her eyeing the bears which sat in her pillow. Lily sat up and picked up the faded bear. "This one is yours."

Lauren couldn't bring herself to pick it up.

"I was really attached to mine growing up dad said. You weren't as much as me."

Lauren stared at the bears. "I want you to keep it." she whispered.

"But it's yours."

Lauren shook her head. "I'm not there yet."

"You aren't gonna go are you? Is that why you don't want it?"

"I'm, staying now, dad won't let me go. But still, part of me is still with Emma and until I get that part of me back then I don't think I should have that. You keep it though, take care of it coz I want to back one day. Just not right now."

They reopened their books and got back to work. "Lil's by chance to you listen to rap?"

"No."

Lauren grinned. "No idea what ya missing!"

* * *

Night fell swiftly, they ate their tea. Alice was trying to act normal but Lily and Lauren could tell something was going on. Alice only picked at her Chinese food, locked the door early and put herself in the study. Lauren approached her at bedtime.

"Am sorry." Lauren said.

Alice looked up from the invoices for the surgery.

"Danny left coz of me and am sorry. I know how much he means to you."

"He means a lot to you too huh?" Alice asked.

Lauren shrugged. "He's my dad, I love him."

Alice smiled. "I'm glad you finally realise that. He loves you too."

"I know." Lauren agreed. "Can we…try?…you know….for him?" Lauren stammered fidgeting with her fingers. "He loves us both, we have him in common." Lauren exhaled. "You're my mother aren't you? The only one I'll ever have and….I just don't want to hurt him anymore. If he can love you so much I can try to love you a little bit." she shrugged. "It's a place to start isn't it?"

Alice saw so much uncertainty in Laurens face and knew how much it must have cost her to swallow her pride. She showed so much more maturity than the adult here. Lauren finally looked like the twelve year old girl she was and Alice was surprised that she had forgotten in all her anger that Lauren was just a child! She patted the seat opposite her. "Tell me about yourself." she asked softly.

A shadow passed Laurens face, the instinctive response was no, go to hell, mind your own business. Instead she sat down. "My favourite colour is orange, or depending on my mood jade green and my lucky number is four if I ever have to pick a number it'll always be four and if four is taken three."

Alice smiled and nodded.

"I'm mad on pretty much all music except opera and classical. I mean who wants to listen to something you can't sing to, and the fat lady singing? More like run she looks like she's gonna freaking eat you!"

Alice chuckled.

"No I'm being serious! Have you seen how wide they are able to open their mouth! Its scary! Oh and one day I'm gonna be a kick ass guitar player with my own band selling millions of records one day! Seriously bet on it, it'll happen!"

"You will." Alice agreed nodding.

"You sound so sure." Lauren murmured. "How? Maybe I'll fail." Emma told her that often enough, that she was no good at anything. Everything she did she failed.

"Coz I said the exact same about being an actress and look at me now."

"Really? Wow." Lauren breathed. "Was it hard? Stupid question huh?"

Alice nodded. "It is hard, there were so many auditions I was rejected for, but I worked at it. Had lessons to fine tune my talent and I got better. Kept trying until I got that one role that catapulted me, and it did. BIG style!"

"Would you ever go back to then?"

Alice tapped her chin thoughtfully. "If I could go back knowing that someday I'd have your dad and you and Lily then yeah, I'd tell myself to let go, enjoy my success more instead of worrying about what people thought about me."

"Why did you worry about that?"

Alice smiled wryly. "I had issues with so much stuff back then, my dad, your dad, It almost drove us apart. But thanks to a little bit of interference from Mandy when I ran from him, he followed…." she smiled wistfully. "…and it felt like I fell for him all over again. It was like the beginning again, he'd say something or do something and…." Alice exhaled heavily when she remembered Danny wasn't at home but at a hotel.

"You really love him?" Lauren asked. It amazed her to think that Alice, this famous movie star who could possibly have any man she wanted chose someone so normal like Danny. Not that he wasn't good enough it just seemed weird that out of all the men Danny seemed to have a hold on her. The pictures that surrounded the wall showed how much they cared but what made then stay together through it all? Losing a child was the worst thing a couple could go through an they came through the other end still devoted to each other when actually breaking up may have been easier to deal with!

"Your dad was the first person to love me for me. I'm a star, not being egotistical, just stating a fact. I can do a lot for people, all you have to do is say my name and someone is listening. People are cruel, people manipulate and people use me. I tried so hard not to feel anything for him but he….." Alice couldn't explain it, there wasn't any one thing she loved about him. "Your dad right has so many of these individual quirks that annoy the hell out of you and sometimes make you actually want to kill him but when you put all those quirks together it fits and somehow they don't annoy you they are adorable. I didn't like him when we first met but he interested me and ultimately that is why I love him. Its why I love you too."

Lauren's eyes widened. "What?"

Alice smiled. "Its surprises you to hear I love you?"

"Would you be totally disgusted if ah said yes?" Lauren asked.

Alice laughed. "You have quirks that anger me too, but under it all, under the bravado and the bad girl attitude there's so much more to you and I want to know it. You interest me and I want you to let me in."

"I love him too you know. Danny." Lauren said unable to say she loved Alice.

"I know." Alice nodded. "I look and I see so much of him in you. You use your anger as a sheild to protect yourself from people who love you. If you put it down once you'll find you don't need to protect yourself from me." Alice rubbed her chin. "I haven't been the best mother to you so far but you're right, I am the only mother you are going to have and you're MY Lauren, I could have another twenty kids and I couldn't replace you I wouldn't want to! I want you!"

Lauren cleared her throat and exhaled shakily. "Danny said I was like you."

Alice laughed. "He knows you well, but I think I understand you more than he does."

Lauren rubbed her face. "Am so sorry Alice but he really left coz of me!" Lauren moaned.

Alice shook her head.

"He did, I had an idea that I thought would be good for all of us an ah told him and he thought it was coz of you and was really angry."

Alice was instantly suspicious. "What did you say?"

"I told him to put me in care or take me back to Newcastle so the three of you could go back to how you were before. I wasn't being malicious I just didn't want to hurt anyone anymore."

"He was worried about you Lauren, he loves you. He was right to be angry."

"I know but the two of you are splitting up!"

Alice looked at her watch. "You should go to bed it's late."

Lauren stood up. "Goodnight Alice."

"Sleep tight Lauren. You're loved, you know that don't you?"

Lauren nodded slowly then walked to her room.

Alice exhaled and looked at a picture of her and Danny that was on the wall.

She and Danny were lain on a rug in front of a log fire on their second honeymoon in Canada five years ago. They each held a flute of champagne smiling happily at the camera. She picked up the phone and wrote three words in a text. 'I miss you' her finger hovered over the word send, she was about to press it when she heard soft strains of a guitar coming from the hallway. She walked down there quietly and listened intently.

"…..sleepy head eyes and a great big yawn or two. Goodnight, I love you…." Lauren sang.

"I love you." Alice repeated smiling at the bedroom door. Then she headed back to the study.

* * *

Danny sat on his bed, legs stretched out staring at the TV trying to lose himself in some mindless comedy. The antics of the lead actors were humorous enough but he couldn't muster a smile. He sighed and closed his eyes. This as a new experience for him and Alice. They never argued to this magnitude before! And they never spent a night apart when they were both in the same country, even the night before their wedding.

He picked up the remote and turned the TV off choosing instead to prowl the floors instead of sitting doing nothing. He missed her already, thirteen years of marriage and they were spending a night apart after an argument. How had they came to this? He picked up his phone punching in a familiar number, a million reasons why he should speak to her racing through his mind. He missed her, he wanted to check on the girls, the surgery, to hear her voice, but the biggest one, to tell her that he loved her! Instead he put the phone down, sat on the bed and turned the TV back on. He couldn't ring her, she needed to understand that Lauren was different to what she thought! He was dreading to think how far this argument was actually going to go!

**A/N Lily and Lauren bonding :) Alice and Lauren bonding :) it all seems to be going really well, too bad it took danny leaving to prompt it! Wonder what is going to happen during the night while Danny is gone!  
I know i promised you a really good chapter but this one is 3500 words and still hadn't hit the 'good' bit yet so i cut it, i LOVE the next chapter tho, from the first word it sets the scene! Stay tuned x**


	21. Monster

Lauren was in bed sleeping soundly, her dream nice, one she hadn't had before.

_She was on a hot beach frolicking in the sea in a hot pink bathing suit. She heard a familiar voice calling her name, she turned and was splashed with sea water. Lauren squealed with delight and her arms began to wave frantically splashing the person back with abandon, their face was obscured which Lauren found weird. Lauren felt herself being hoisted into the air and dropped into the water but instead of being scared she was laughing raucously. She stood up water pouring into her eyes and saw her mum kneeling down grinning at her. Alice waded towards her slowly arms wide and Lauren tried to run._

"_No mummy no!" she giggled._

_Alice splashed, reached her and picked her up again, this time she fell backwards with her and they both submerged. When they were back on their feet Alice began to tickled her. "The mummy monster!" she growled._

"_The Lauren monster!" Lauren replied tickling her mum back. Alice pretended to scream and ran. Lauren caught up with her and Alice once again picked up Lauren and dropped her under the water. Lauren got up tried to run and stopped when she saw sea weed floating in the water, she picked it up and examined it. Alice smiled at how easily distracted her daughter was._

"_Hey Lauren why did the sand blush?" Alice asked._

_Lauren shook her head._

"_Coz the sea weed, get it?"_

_Lauren made a confused face. "What does that mean?"_

_Alice smiled and took her hand. "You'll understand when you're older."_

_Lauren looked at the sand under the ocean and saw a rock. "Mummy look look!" the rock was multicoloured. "Look at the rock!"_

_When the water goes out kneel down and I'll help you dig it out, Alice knew Lauren would kick off if they tried to leave without it. It took a few tries but they managed to dig it out and Lauren took it and sat it on a rock to make sure they didn't lose it as neither had pockets._

"_We can't forget it mummy ok!"_

"_We won't" Alice promised and they went on looking for jellyfish in the water. A short while later Alice saw Danny waving._

"_Look Lauren daddy wants us."_

"_Can we have five more minutes please?" Lauren pleaded._

_Alice nodded and they had a few more minutes of splashing and playing, all too soon it came to an end and they walked up slowly to where Danny sat._

_Lauren was smiling knowing that she would remember this day forever and ever when she was big. She chatted to her mum happily until she saw the biggest fluffiest dog she had ever seen! She pulled away from her mum and went to stroke it._

"_Lauren!" Alice scolded taking her hand before she could touch it. "You know you're not supposed to touch a dog you don't know!"_

"_But mummy!" she pouted. "He's nice look!"_

"_He might have been nice Lauren, he might have thought you weren't nice and bit you." Alice looked at the owner. "I'm sorry."_

"_It's fine." the owner replied and walked off._

_Lauren glared at her mum angry at not being able to touch the dog. They began to walk back up to her dad and Lauren was so angry she refused to even hold her mums hand. Mum was stupid! The dog was nice he wouldn't hurt her! As her mum chatted on promising that they would come to the beach another day Lauren realised she had forgot her best stone! She turned. _

"_Lauren!"_

"_Mummy I need my stone. it's the best one I ever got!" and ran down to the sea. Found it exactly where they left it. She picked it up and turned expecting to see her mummy…..but she wasn't there. There were lots of people everywhere….but where was her mummy?_

Lauren began to twitch uneasily in her bed.

_Laurens chest began to feel funny and she was scared. She wasn't supposed to go anywhere by herself! "Mu…." she began to shout when a woman knelt down in front of her._

"_Are you ok?"_

_Lauren stared at the stranger with wide eyes._

"_I have some sweeties, you can have them if you come with me."_

_Lauren shook her head and took a step back. Mummy always told her to never take things from a stranger Daddy always told her to scream really loudly if someone told her that, she opened her mouth wide to scream fro her daddy when the woman silenced her._

"_Your mummy's name is Alice Trevanion and your daddy is Daniel right? And you have a sister?" _

"_My daddy is Danny and my twin is Lily." Lauren whispered. "How do you know?"_

"_And you are Lauren." the lady supplied with a smile._

"_How do you know my name?"_

"_Your daddy is ill and he had to go to hospital with mummy really quickly. I have Lily at my car and your mum asked me to come get you and take you to them."_

"_I'm not allowed to go with strangers mummy said!"_

"_But Lauren I'm not a stranger I know your name and your mummy and daddy. Am I a stranger?"_

"_I don't know who you are though."_

_The lady patted her cheek. "My name is Emma."_

Lauren physically jerked in bed but remained asleep.

"_Am I still a stranger Lauren?" Emma asked._

"_I guess not." Lauren agreed._

_Emma extended her hand and Lauren took it. "Will my daddy be ok? Are the doctors here taking good care of him?"_

_She and Emma walked off. "I'm sure he has the best."_

_Very soon they were off the sand and heading towards a car. "Where is Lily?" she asked when she saw only two adults in the car._

_The woman didn't answer just proceeded taking her towards the car Lauren tried to pull but Emma was strong._

"_Stop it!" Lauren cried yanking at Emma's hand. "Stop it!"_

_Lauren was looking around frantically for help but they only gained curious looks, no one tried to help._

"_My daughter is angry she doesn't want to go home." Emma told them._

"_LIAR! I WANT MY MUMMY!" she screamed and cried._

_The woman picked Lauren up and clamped a hand over her mouth. She was soon pushed into a car. The car started and they began to move. Lauren cried._

_Emma looked at her. "BE QUIET!"_

"_I want my mummy!" she cried._

_Emma grabbed her and looked in her eyes intensely. "You will NEVER say that again, are we clear?"_

_Lauren looked at her eyes wide with fear tears falling from her eyes._

_Emma released her face and began talking to the man who drove. Lauren didn't know what they were saying, she was looking out of the window. She saw her mummy daddy and Lily walking along the beach. _

"_DADDY!" she yelled and beat her hands off the window. "I'M HERE DADDY!"_

_Emma grabbed her shoulders and pushed her face down onto the seat._

"_Give me that cigarette Bob!" Emma demanded. "Here's your first lesson Lauren….."_

Tears leaked from Laurens eyes as she felt the burning that coursed down her arm. She whimpered but slept on. More and more memories from that day surfaced engulfing her. The car ride, being taken into a house and Emma….Emma….

_"Who do you hate?" Emma hissed._

"_I want my mummy!" Lauren cried. "Please let me go home."_

"_WRONG ANSWER!" Laurens pain filled screams filled the room._

_Days passed slowly there, the room was dark and cold, Lauren still only in her bathing suit._

"_Tell me about Alice…." Emma asked her softly._

"_Mummy takes care of Lily and me." she whispered. "She has short black hair and blue eyes and is lovely."_

"_WRONG ANSWER!" Emma yelled and once again Lauren's screams echoed._

"_I want to go home." Lauren whimpered. "PLEASE!" she begged. "I want my mummy!"_

"_NO! You don't want her! You don't love her!" Emma roared and a chorus of thuds filled the room._

Lauren awoke with a start and looked around frantically. She tried to calm her breathing but her heart was racing hard. She got up, the sheets she slept in soaked with sweat, she approached a window and opened it. Uneasy with the light off she turned it on and rested her forehead against the wall, eyes closed.

"It was just a dream, just a dream." she whispered to herself, her accent somehow less pronounced.

The dark fragmented images from her dreams flashed in her mind one after the other, she clenched her jaw trying to force them away but they refused. Emma with a belt in her hand was prominant, her face one of pure malevolence. She'd had uncanny aim, even though she had only been tiny she had never missed, the room she had been in, she couldn't remember where it was all she knew was that it scared her! Even now the thought of it scared her.

"My mum is nice." she whispered to herself and felt herself flinch instinctively almost anticipating a blow. Her eyes closed tighter, she really needed her dad right now! "I need you dad!" she whispered. "Where are you?"

Knowing that Danny wasn't around to help she dragged her feet over to her bedside cabinet and picked up her Ipod, looked at the bad and shook her unwilling to sit somewhere which had evoked such painful images and sat on the floor beat playing in her ears, somehow the music didn't calm her like it usually did. She got up and ripped it from her ears and threw it on the bed staring at it accusingly. She fisted her hands in her hair and paced for a straight twenty minutes. Finally she gave up, being alone in the room making her edgy. Maybe she could stay with Lily tonight, maybe if she went in and asked Lily would be fine with it.

"What are you Lauren?" Emma hissed in her head. "SOFT?"

She bent double and clutched her head. "Leave me alone!" she moaned.

"Who do you hate Lauren? You hate Alice! SAY IT!" Emma told her menacingly.

Lauren ran from her room stumbling into the hallway needing to escape the voice, it was worse in the hallway, the darkness amplifying it she jumped back in her room breathing hard.

"Still here Lauren!" Emma goaded. "You can't escape me, you tried remember long ago!"

Laurens eyes rolled into the back of her head as she remembered

_A cold winters day, all the doors and windows left open and she being so very cold her teeth chattered. Lauren had got up to run away but when she opened the front door the alarm went off. She had ran outside only for one of Emma's friends who lived next door to grab her and lock her in the room. Lauren had felt ill waiting for Emma to return home. She had shook, only this time not from cold. Emma had came home and the expression on her face told Lauren she was in more trouble then she ever imagined! _

Lauren snapped back to reality with a thud, it took her a moment to realise she had fell to the floor. Instead of wrapping her arms around herself and sobbing like she wanted to, she decided to be tough, turn the light off and go back to sleep. She would handle this like she did everything else. Head on with fearlessness. Tremors filled her after she turned the light off. She didn't like the dark, it hadn't bothered her before the dream but now….the dark held secrets and shadows. She left her room creeping down the hallway to the kitchen, using the excuse that she wanted a drink, really only wanting a torch or something so she didn't have to sleep with the light on. When she reached the apex between the kitchen and living room she saw a light burning in the study and Alice in the study surrounded by photo albums. A bottle of amber liquid by her side. She looked up and spotted her. "Lauren?"

"Couldn't sleep." she answered softly and went to the fridge for a drink. Poured herself a glass of milk.

"How bout some hot chocolate?"

Lauren shook her head. "No thanks, that's yours and Lilys thing, not mine."

"Used to be your thing too." Alice remarked absently looking at a page. "The three of us, marshmallow and hot chocolate when your dad….." took a gulp from her glass then poured some more as thoughts of Danny made her feel sad.

Lauren frowned at her. "Should you be drinking that stuff straight? Its strong, you'll have one hell of a hangover!"

"How'd you know?" Alice asked voice slightly slurred.

"Emma used to drink it." Closed her eyes. "I learned to steer clear when she did!"

Alice eyes filled with pain she couldn't mask. "Sometimes a little alcohol helps you know." lifted her glass and looked at it. "Tonight I learned a lot is much better! Ah might regret it themorra like…." then Alice smiled. "I sound like you!"

Lauren laughed. "Not quite, your accent is too strong." the she shrugged. "I'll leave you to it then."

Alice went to her impulsively and took her hand looking at her. "Losing you was by far the worst thing that has ever happened to me!"

Lauren looked at her. "I guess so, but I suppose when you have a perfect life…."

"Perfect life?" Alice laughed no humour in it at all, releasing Laurens hand. "Is this what you think I've had."

"I don't think Alice I just look at the facts and I'm not being horrible, just honest."

"I'd give back every minute of this so called perfect life to have you back!"

Lauren sighed. "yeah you would. All mums would." she stared at Alice confused. "You know I struggle with you sometimes, you and Danny could keep all this and just have another kid, name it Lauren and I wouldn't have been gone anymore. You get me and keep your perfect…."

"Stop it! Stop belittling yourself and stop calling this perfect! You have no idea!"

"Alice look at from an outsiders point of view. You're an actress, loved by god knows how many people, earn an obscene amount of money for what can be considered a small amount of work. You have NO worries! Seems pretty damn perfect to me! And all you had to deal with was losing me! And lets face it I'm not that special!"

"You are special, to be and your dad your perfect! Not all this stuff! And I have more worries that you think. EVERYDAY I worry whether something will happen to you, Lily or your dad! Everyday I wonder whether I have been safe enough this time. Every part I take I wonder whether I'm good enough and every time I walk out of the front door I wonder whether someone is watching me!"

Lauren rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Get over yourself Alice! Why would anyone watch you?"

"Why? I don't know!" Alice exclaimed. "But don't say this is perfect. Its as close to perfect as I'm allowed and right now it is all falling apart!"

Laurens eyes narrowed. "You really are a good actress, I never realised how good before."

Alice took her arm. "You really think I am acting right now?" Voice cold.

Lauren tried to yank her arm away but Alice held it tight Lauren looked down to remove Alice's hand and saw the raised skin on Alice's hand, it looked like…"How did you burn your hand?"

Alice looked down at the ugly skin, she had forgot that happened. "It was a long time ago." she murmured.

Lauren studied it, still holding Alice's hand. "Why not get it fixed?"

Alice shrugged. "I looked into it a few years ago and they said the burn was too bad to fully cover it so why bother?"

"How'd it happen?" Lauren asked. "Firework or something, they can be bad."

If only it had been that simple. "Go to bed Lauren."

Lauren pushed up the sleeve of her pyjama top, Alice looked at her arm littered with scar of all shapes and sizes. "Everyone of these is a gift!" Lauren told her passionately. "Emma told me they were special, reminders, I was NEVER to forget where I came from! I was never to forget…."

"What?" Alice asked willing her to finish.

Lauren refused to budge. "No, but I will say that these." pointed to her arms. "Are only the beginning! So you tell me yours I'll tell you mine." she negotiated.

"Fine!" Alice said. "I got it from a fire!"

"What kind? Bush? And I'll look it up so don't lie."

Alice quieted knowing that Lauren was going to find out either way, at least this way she would find out on Alice's terms. She took her daughter by the arm and led her into the study. "You want the full story Lauren? All the grisly details? Ok. But I need you to promise that you won't ever tell Lily."

Lauren frowned. "Is it really that bad?"

"You wanna know about my perfect life then you promise!" Alice told her stonily.

"I promise I won't tell her!"

"Swear on Danny's life or no deal." Alice used Danny as he was the only person Alice knew Lauren really cared about.

"I swear on Danny's life." Lauren told her solemnly.

Alice turned on the lamp in the study and pulled the partition across. She went to the safe, opened it and removed a small locked box. Using a key hidden in a different box she opened the it and removed a file.

"Years ago." Alice began. " Before I met Danny, long before you were born I had a….well lets say an admirer. He used to send me sweets and flowers and I was flattered to have such a nice fan. I was pretty new to this fame thing and thought nothing of it, even when it continued after a few weeks. Time passed, I went on a date and I received a letter from him the next day. He wasn't happy I went out with another man but he said he forgave me. Soon after he started sending me photos."

"Of him? You should have gave them to the police!" Lauren told her.

"They were of me. When I was on set, out walking, even sleeping in my room."

Laurens eyes widened. "He actually went in your house?"

Alice nodded. "He deactivated my alarm, took my clothes, hair brush anything I touched he wanted. He even went as far as killing a puppy I got as present to hurt me, he couldn't share me he said."

"Whoa!"

"I told the police, expected that to be an end to it, it humoured him. He started telephoning me my number was unlisted, he used to tell me in detail the things I'd done that day. Where I went on holiday that sort of thing. Eventually I took a film in South Africa to get away from it for a little while. And that is how I met your dad."

"Bet that went down well." Lauren said softly.

"Me and your dad had about two weeks before he found me. I was photographed kissing your dad, he sent me shredded lingerie and loosened the bolts on a lion pen so I was almost mauled."

"What the hell?"

"Still I refused to listen, his words not mine. I was falling for your dad more everyday and we tried to stay away to stop it but we couldn't. Before too long I had fell in love and my stalker knew and blew up my trailer on set."

"Holy crap!" Lauren declared.

Alice raised her top and showed Lauren the burn across her stomach. "I was three steps away from the blast, very nearly in my trailer. I was picked up and literally thrown threw the air and bounced off my co stars trailer. Burning debris fell on me, that's how I got the scar on my stomach."

"Wow! That must have been…"

Alice put up a hand to halt her. "That's not all Lauren? You haven't heard the best bit of this perfect life yet!" Alice carried on. "So anyway he blew up my trailer, I recovered and an article was printed in a newspaper about mine and your dads relationship, it just so happened to coincide with the first time I told Danny I loved him. It pushed the stalker over the edge and he set a bush fire not far from here and lured your dad out there. Then he set fire to this house with both of us in it!"

"All of that because you fell for dad?"

"Because I didn't love him!" Alice corrected. "If it wasn't your dad it could have been anyone. Only your dad wouldn't let me walk away while someone else might have. Well anyway here I was the house coming down all around me, he drugged me and I ended up in the study and as I was beginning to pass out my hand fell in the flames, and that is how I got this." Alice lifted her hand. "It woke me up a bit though but I couldn't get out so I had to smash the study window," pulled her t-shirt down to her shoulder and the jagged line that rested there. "That is from a shard of glass. Obviously I got out, your dad spent almost a full day believing I was dead though. I hid under a bush unconscious, if he hadn't found me when he did I would have died."

Laurens face was shocked. "Wow!"

"Any questions?" Alice asked resting back and crossing her arms.

"How can you bear to be in this room?"

"The main structure was completely destroyed. This is the rebuild. The old study is now the spare room, it's never been used and I never go in there, for any reason!" Alice handed Lauren a picture of the blacked ruined from the files.

"Bloody hell!" Lauren declared when she saw the veranda caved in, black marks up the wall, no roof on the structure. Her hand covered her mouth.

"He meant business Lauren, I had to die." took the picture and returned the file to the safe. "That's my perfect life."

Lauren nodded slowly heart pounding. She turned and sat on the desk, her back to Alice. "Look."

"At what?"

"My back, there's a message for you on there."

"I don't understand…."

Lauren turned her head so she looked at Alice. "I told you my arms were only the beginning." looked away again. "I'm not allowed to forget Alice, and neither are you. That's what she said."

Alice raised her top slowly, Laurens eyes closed tightly. The light show and surrounded by lines was a name. 'Murphy?"

"She said it a clue, says every scar is a gift from you." Lauren looked around at her.

"Me?" Alice gasped and lowered Laurens pyjama top.

Lauren turned nodding. "Every time she hurt me badly like that she used to tell me why this was your fault. What you had done. That there, she did it with the edge of a hot iron."

Alice felt her head begin to pound. "Oh God this is my fault!"

Lauren shook her head smiling at Alice reassuringly. "To be honest Emma was a loony! She said she spoke to dead people, apparently her dad told her to hurt me but he had been dead for years!"

Alice cupped Laurens face in both hands. "What did you go through?"

"No more than you with your stalker I guess." Lauren shrugged. "I guess my way of sticking two fingers up at her is proving I love you regardless of her, I'll get there it might take time but I will." Lauren assured.

"Take all the time you need, I'm always here."

"Anyway." Lauren started. "I'd better get to bed. Night Alice." as Alice started to clear away, her mind spinning trying to figure out why Murphy was on Laurens back, Lauren headed for her room. Her milk forgotten on the kitchen table.

Lauren stopped at the junction and looked back. "Hey Alice. Did they get him?"

"Who?" Alice asked looking at her.

"Your stalker."

"Yeah. He died in the fire. I finally found out his name too, Alistair Murphy…." even as the name left her lips Alice felt her head spin.

Lauren froze, her whole body turning to ice. "Alistair Murphy, but he's my….." Lauren remembered what Emma told her and stopped talking.

Alice walked to her slowly, knowing what Lauren had been about to say but needing to hear it before she could fully believe it. "How do you recognise that name?"

"I promised her I'd never tell." Laurens voice small. Everything connecting in her head the same time it was in Alice's. It now made some kind of twisted sense. Thoughts of what might of happened if she hadn't co-operated flashed in her mind, what if she had taken Lily too? "If she finds out I told…." she started, feeling like she was five again. The fear taking over.

Alice was near to her now. "You're home, you're safe. Trust me."

Lauren looked in Alice's…. her mums eyes and began to shake. "Alistair is my dad. She told me, she said you killed him."

Alice felt sick to the pit of her stomach.

"He's her dad too but she told me to call her mum so when the police came around they wouldn't suspect anything." Lauren inhaled sharply as a memory engulfed her.

Alice was in turmoil, Emma Murphy…..Emma Murphy….she had been a suspect long ago. The police had spoke to her as someone had seen her with a little girl who matched Lauren's description. The police had questioned her but when they spoke to the little girl she had been adamant Emma was her mum. Lauren! Emma! Why hadn't she connected it before?

While Alice was kicking herself for not realising. Lauren was in a worse place, back in her memories, sat on the sofa talking to a scary policeman telling him lots of lies, begging him with her eyes to see she was it. She took a step back and stumbled over a chair falling to the floor. She scrambled to her feet seeing Alice in front of her but not quite understanding she wasn't that five year old child anymore.

"I'm sorry for lying, really sorry!"! Lauren babbled as tears filled her eyes. "But she made me talk to them, told me what to say, told me I'd come home soon if I was a good girl and did as I was told." Laurens accent completely gone, sounding so much like the girl Alice knew years ago.

"Lauren calm down." Alice coaxed hands of her arms.

Lauren carried on like she hadn't heard her. "And I tried to be good I really did but she all these things about you and she was wrong but she hit me if I didn't agree. Then the police came and I told her I'm not supposed to lie to police, that I'd be in trouble if I did and she said the policeman in th UK were different and would lock me away if I told them the truth, I remembered daddy telling uncle Dupe about the naughty police who arrested the wrong people back at home. I was so scared. And I really wanted Lily." tears fell. "I knew if Lily was there she'd see I was lying in my eyes…." began backing away slowly. "…and we'd go home. When the police left she put me back in the room with no light and I was so scared…." she whispered. As Lauren entered the darkened hallway her whole body tensed and she seemed to shrink. "No not the dark again….I don't like the dark." more tears falling.

Alice was watching this not able to move, it seemed to happening quickly and she was in slow motion. Lauren as a child had been terrified of the dark, it was like she was reliving it. It was that thought that made her come to life, her child was scared….

Lauren side stepped into a corner wrapped her arms around her head lowered herself until she was sitting slowly. "If I'm good I can go home, if I'm a good girl I can go home." she repeated a mantra "I want to go home." added in now and again.

Alice moved towards Lauren her throat was tight, she was seeing a glimpse of how Lauren must have coped with it all, no wonder she hated Alice, no wonder she believed all Emma had told her, they had brain washed her using her fear against her. Lauren did what she had to to get through it. Alice knelt close to her using her softest voice. The one she used when the girls used to have bad dreams. Lauren had her eyes closed tightly. Alice's mouth close to her ear.

"I'll be good Emma." Lauren whispered. "I promise I'll be good." she exhaled shakily. "I just really want my….." and then she stopped like she had been trained to, like at the last moment remembering she wasn't allowed to want her mum.

"Look up at me Lauren." Alice coaxed.

Lauren shook her head. "Can't." Still no sign of her accent, sounding so young. "Coz I dream of mummy." she said like telling a secret. "But Emma can't ever know coz she will get mad and I don't like Emma when she is angry, she scares me. If I tell her I don't love mummy enough she'll let me go home but I say it and she doesn't believe me!" a sob torn from her. "I DO love mummy but she can't ever know so I'll hide it deep inside and when I get home mummy will know that everything I said to Emma wasn't true. I had a pretend mummy monster at home but she was the real monster. I want to go home!" she moaned shaking her head.

Alice felt her own tears fall everything she put Lauren through hitting her. "I know Lauren, look at me I know! I know you love me! Come home to me, look at me please just look at me!" Alice rambled her hands around the back of Laurens head.

Silence fell in the hallway, Lauren lifted her head a little, eyes wide and uncertain, her expression mirroring the person opposite, i took what felt like an age to realise who she was looking at, when Lauren did realise she felt like she saw Alice, really saw her the first time. The person who made her giggle while making faces at her. The person who picked her up and held her close, the person who made everything better when she cried. She wanted everything to be better, she couldn't be like this anymore….."Mum?" she whispered unsure.

Alice nodded slowly. "I'm here, you're home Lauren."

Lauren threw herself in Alice's direction, Alice fell backwards but remained upright holding Lauren tightly, one hand rubbing her head trying to soothe her distraught child. "Ssshhh. Its alright now, mums here." and kissed her head. Lauren need this, just to get it out of her system.

Lily, who had heard some noises walked out of her room a tennis racket held high, she was shocked to see her mum and Lauren in the corner, Lauren sobbing.

'She's home.' Alice mouthed.

Lily knew what her mum meant, dropped the racket on the bed and walked into her bathroom where she moistened a face cloth with cold water. Returned to Lauren and knelt beside her. Hugged her close, arms around both her mum and Lauren. "It's ok now." Lily told her. "We're here for you."

Lauren pulled away slowly head pounding, Alice wiped her face with cloth Lily had brought. Lauren was blinking tiredly, emotionally drained, unsure of what to do or say. All she wanted was to sleep.

"C'mon." Alice said and held Lauren up. Lauren moved soundlessly into her mums room, crawled into bed and collapsed into the middle if it. Lily returned to her room for a second then joined her mum and sister in the other bedroom she climbed into the bed to the right of Lauren, Alice on the left. Lauren was lain in the middle eyes closed.

Silence fell in the room. "I know why the sand blushed." Lauren murmured breaking it.

Alice turned her head, "You do?

"The sea weed." Lauren laughed drowsily. "Good one, I get it."

Lily saw her mum smile in the darkness and heard her clear her throat. She lifted Laurens arm gently as to not wake her and placed the pink bear under it.

"She belongs to you. Welcome home." Lily said.

**A/N wow, really emotional chapter! BUT Lauren is home! Properly this time :D  
The bit i most resonated with was when Alice was pleading with he to come home to her, even though they were in the hallway, lauren was back with emma alone. It was such a powerful image and i didn't manage to do it justice at all! Next on the agenda fix danice and get rid of emma and they can all live happily ever after - its never that easy tho lol  
I'm just wondering if anyone made the connection of Emma being Alice's stalkers kid when Alice saw the name on Laurens back x**


	22. Make Up or Break Up

**RECAP - Lauran had a break down remembering her past and Alice saw it, they are now closer than before...now the morning after...**

The birds sang softly the following morning, almost unwilling to break the tranquil hush within the room, the three people in the room slept in an identical pose, sprawled on their stomach, an arm slung casually across the person to their right. Alice over Lauren and Lauren over Lily. The room was silent apart from soft regular breathing. Lauren however began to twitch as her dream gradually became dark and oppressive.

"_Remember Lauren!" a voice hissed. "REMEMBER!"_

_Lauren was soon dreaming of a small child with haunted green eyes and blond hair that hung limp streaked with mud, blood and untold tears. Her face was impassive, no emotion at all. The darkness of the room no longer bothered her. She was sat cross legged looking at Emma, she'd been locked in the room for 8 months and had missed her 6__th__ birthday. For all she knew it had been 8 years, time had lost meaning. Emma had won, Emma had broke her._

"_Alice Collins?" Emma asked._

_Laurens face remained still and unreadable, no emotion registered, no emotion filled Lauren, Alice was no one now._

"_Who is Alice Collins?" Emma asked._

"_No one." Laurens voice had lost it's childish lilt. It was now raspy and flat._

_Emma smiled. Lauren had tried to lie at first bit Emma now knew she meant and fully believed what she was saying. She had to say the girl was strong, it took much to long to turn her. "Why are you here?"_

_Laurens face was suddenly full of anger. "It's HER fault! That's why you hurt me!" Eyes alight with hate._

"_What do you have to do?"_

"_Hurt her!" her face once again neutral._

"_That's right Lauren, because you were hurt you are gonna hurt her too. What do you have to do?"_

"_I'm gonna…." Lauren heard the sentence in her mind before her younger self could voice it and she was yanked from sleep._

Lauren lay there unmoving, panting face down on her pillow needing a moment to calm herself. Her heart was racing, fear filling her at what Emma expected her to do. She couldn't do that to her mum, she loved her! Lauren found herself glancing to her left and seeing her mum sleeping soundly face into her pillow relaxed in sleep, to here right she could feel Lily. Flashes of the previous night filled her mind and she almost groaned. She had to get out of there before Lily and Alice awoke. She went to lift Alice's arm off her and saw her mums eyes open blinking tiredly.

Lauren smiled wryly, an image of sobbing in Alice's arms causing a blush to tinge her cheeks. "Hi."

"Hey." Alice said voice heavy with sleep. "Planning to do a runner?"

Lauren eyed her then nodded, lifted her head crossed her arms on the pillow. "I guess. I've never had an awkward morning after but this is how it is right?"

"How do you know I have had an awkward morning after?" Alice asked, an eyebrow raised.

Lauren frowned. "You must have…..right?"

Alice chuckled softly. "I have had an awkward morning after but they are far worse than this! Trust me! Not that will ever happen to you!"

"Of course not!" Lauren replied seriously then sighed. "I guess I just don't know what to do, or say or….anything."

Alice rubbed her eyes. "Last night was….." searched for an appropriate word, she was at a loss, she thought last night was great, not all the emotion but the fact that she got her daughter back!

"Intense!" Lauren finished. "It felt like one minute I was fine and the next I was freaking out!"

"Suppose that is one way of putting it." Alice conceded. Lily moaned and turned in her sleep snorting loudly and Lauren had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stop laughing.

Alice sat up and ran her hands through her hair rubbing it vigorously. "Come with me." she requested standing up.

Lauren stood too and without warning they stretched their cramped muscles identically, arms up high then back down.

"Whoa!" Lauren whispered. "Copy cat!"

Alice chuckled. "Mother daughter trait."

"Na, you just copy me coz I'm well mint!"

Alice rolled her eyes, her gaze finding her other daughter who was still sleeping soundly. She smiled at her lovingly then led Lauren from the room. They headed into the kitchen, Alice motioned Lauren to sit while she turned on the coffee maker.

"Alice…." Lauren swore. "Mum…" she corrected herself then exhaled resting her head on her hand, previous statement forgotten.

Alice went to her and patted her cheek, it was such a motherly gesture Lauren was startled, she'd never been mothered before, not that she could remember anyway!

"Don't worry about what to call me ok?"

"You sure?" Lauren murmured.

"Positive." Alice agreed walking to the fridge and taking the pure orange juice and pouring it into a glass for Lauren. "We're all new to this, Alice or mum, makes no difference."

Lauren's spine seemed to lose consistency from sheer relief!

"And last night…" Alice carried on. "I'd like for us to see it as a turning point if we can , there is no need to mention it after this."

"I'd really like that!" Lauren admitted amazed at how easy Alice was making this for her. "I don't like showing weakness and I hate even more admitting it."

Alice looked back at her. "You are anything but weak sweetheart." placed the orange juice beside Lauren with some toast.

Lauren took the juice but left the toast, she lifted the glass to her lips then froze. "I need to know we'll be ok mum." her eyes wide and solemn. "I need to know we'll be fine no matter what."

"We are, totally. Come what may."

Lauren nodded then inhaled deeply. "I want to talk to the police, I'll tell them everything I know. I want out family to work and it won't if we're worried about Emma coming back and she WILL be back. She won't let up, she wants to hurt you and if she needs to she'll do it through me and Lily. She's already proved that."

"Don't worry about her Lauren….."

"I know what she is capable of Alice, nothing will stop her and…." she covered her eyes with her hand. "I told her where we are, not the exact place but you and dad can't be that hard to find! I'm sorry Alice I genuinely didn't think I'd end up caring about you! She promised me not to hurt dad."

"Why?"

Lauren blushed. "Coz I asked her to, but now that I think about it she'll probably do away with all of us given half a chance! And now that I've betrayed her, or that's how she'll see it I think it'll be you and me she'll target first and foremost."

"You watch my back and I'll watch yours then." Alice said nonchalantly. "And we knew you'd been in touch with Emma, we've been keeping an eye on your phone."

"She sent me a phone from the UK, she's been in contact through that, it's been turned off for the last week or so I don't know what's she's been up to."

Alice picked up some coffee and sipped it. "Don't worry about anything, we'll be ok, all of us. Once she's gone we'll just picked up where we left off."

Lauren lowered her head and looked at Alice through her lashes. "What about you and dad?"

"Me and your dad will…." Alice trailed off. She wasn't sure what was going to happen to her and Danny, before Lauren could reply Lily walked from her mums room hair sticking up every which way, just like her dads. "Thanks for leaving me!" she said playfully.

"Lils I hate to tell you this…" Lauren began dramatically seriousness forgotten. "But you snore! I had to leave for the sake of my hearing."

"What you mean you could hear me over you sounding like a chainsaw?" Lily retorted quickly.

Lauren made a face grinning. "Where I come from that fighting talk!"

Lily grinned in reply and when she passed she took the juice from Laurens hand and began drinking it.

Lauren rolled her eyes and patted the seat next to her. As Alice prepared breakfast for Lily the girls were engrossed in a conversation about clothes and make up. They stopped talking suddenly an identical smile's were blooming across their faces. They looked at their mum.

"We want our old room back." they chorused exactly in sync.

"You two want to share again?"

"Yeah, a trial run but we'll be fine, won't we Lil's."

Lily shrugged. "Well I survived your snoring last night so yeah."

"Ohhhh Lily you are SO Funny, I forgot to laugh!" Lauren replied sarcastically.

Lily placed a hand on her chest and feigned modesty. "I do try."

"Actually Lils you know what…." Lauren turned to look at her and saw Lily biting in her toast. "Do you have to eat my toast?"

"Your food always did taste better than mine."

"Don't make me stab you with my fork again…." Lauren said instinctively.

Lily smiled widely. "You remember that?"

Lauren frowned. "Kind of." she looked at Alice who was smiling widely. "Anyway as I was about to say…."

Lily nodded, "No need to say it…." they both looked at Alice.

"What?" Alice asked softly at the mischievous look on their faces.

"We both agree." Lauren and Lily chorused, "That the snoring was you."

Alice laughed. "Here we go again."

* * *

Lily and Lauren had both showered and dressed, Lily wore her jeans and a pink McKenzie jumper. Lauren too wore jeans but hers were baggy and her t-shirt was torn. They stood side by side in the kitchen making pancakes. "I tell you Lily you should dye your hair like me! Electric blue would look mad in your hair! I'm gutted I have to grow out these three!"

Alice, who was sat on the bench beside them tugged her hair. "Well at least you'll have your beautiful blond locks back."

"I don't like it!" Lauren declared stirring her batter. "I blame dad!"

"Ok Lauren yours looks great, now pour it in the pan." Alice told her watching as she did so. "That batter looks great, not too runny so the pancakes won't burn." gave Lily a pointed look.

"It wasn't my fault I set the kitchen on fire." Lily protested. "That pan sort of combusted!"

"Thank God your dad was on hand." Alice murmured looking at the floor.

"Yeah!" Lily agreed unaware of her mums discomfort. "Mum freaked out, saw the flames and just flipped."

Lauren looked at Alice and nodded imperceptibly. Lily stirred her batter adding milk.

Alice had shook her head and was back to her normal self, or was acting like it, "Lily you are good at many things but cooking isn't one of them. She made pancakes a few months ago." Alice looked at the ceiling.

"And yes, you had to scrape them off the ceiling!" Lily breathed totally exasperated.

"Really?" Lauren laughed.

"Hey miss we're twins, you're screwed!" Lily declared at the laughter in her tone. "If I'm a bad cook you will be too. that's how it works!"

"Yeah yeah whatever!" Lauren retorted. "I am bad at nothing!"

Alice sat and watched them. She loved this. This was how it should be, how it always should have been, her girls arguing playfully as they did something together. Someone was obviously missing though. Danny would have loved this too.

"Flip the edges of the batter Lauren or it'll burn." Alice told her trying to take her mind off her husband. Still though she found herself lost in thoughts of him as Lily instructed Lily on how to make the perfect pancakes.

The time came to flip them, Lauren held the pan in two hands. "Ready?" Lauren said looking at Lily.

"Steady?" lily asked.

Lauren flicked her wrist and the pancake glided through the air and landed in the pan cleanly.

"Yes!" Lauren crowned. Lily jumping up and down Lauren placed the pan back on the heat. "So much for me being screwed!"

"There's still time, I may choke."

"Only if you eat your own!"

"It's a good thing you are my sister or I would have to kill you." Lily told Lauren seriously.

"I keep telling you big sis you're not big enough!"

Lauren and Lily continued their banter, they missed a car pulling up outside. Danny walking inside looking tired he saw Lily, Lauren and Alice in the kitchen. Lauren and Lily laughing…laughing? Alice was watching them with a smile on her face, blue eyes shining with happiness, although in the depths Danny saw shadows.

He was dressed in a plain white t-shirt and new jeans, he had taken clothes with him but he hadn't been able to put them on as they smelled like Alice and he hated that they were apart. He watched quietly, they hadn't noticed him yet. Lauren turned and spoke to Alice, Alice nodded then pointed, when Lauren looked way Alice dipped her finger in the batter and put it on Laurens nose, soon the three of them were laughing.

What had happened here? Had he walked into the twilight zone or something? He cleared his throat.

Lauren turned first, spotted him and her face lit up. "Dad!" skipped over and hugged him.

"How was your conference dad?" Lily asked flipping a pan and diving so the pancake hit its target.

"Good." he looked down at Lauren. "Are you ok?"

She nodded vigorously. "I'm brilliant!"

Danny frowned when he noticed although she still had an accent it was less distinct, like someone had turned down the volume. He raised his head and looked at Alice and Lily who were motioning Lauren back.

"Couple more pancakes Lauren and we can eat!" Alice told her.

Lauren released her dad ad happily returned to Lily and Alice.

"Mum, why don't you and dad go talk." Lauren suggested.

Danny's eyes widened and his jaw was slack. MUM? Since when was Alice mum to Lauren? Don't get him wrong he was over the moon…..but how had such a massive change happened in twelve hours!

Alice glanced over him and read the shock in his face, she exhaled in despair. He had no doubt expected to come back and find Lauren dejected because of her and Lily's rejection. He always thought the worst of her! "I don't think we have anything to say to each other do we Danny?"

Danny shrugged nonchalantly. "No." acting cavalier. "I'll be going down to the surgery,"

"I've been already." Alice told him.

"I have stuff to do!" he snapped and left.

Lily and Lauren stood staring at their mum wearing matching expressions.

Alice tried to ignore it…"What?" she finally asked.

"We're the kids here mum not you and dad!" they chorused.

Alice jumped down form the bench. "Don't you start double teaming me."

"You love dad yes?" Lauren asked simply.

"Stupid question Lauren mum will always love dad won't you?"

"I don't see the problem then." Lauren finished.

Alice hadn't said a word. "I'm going over to Mara." she told them. "This was great, put my pancakes in the oven yeah?" and she walked down the hallway.

Lily and Lauren returned to cooking quietly.

"She's going to spill her guts to Auntie Mand." Lily said at Lauren's unspoken question.

"She needs to talk to dad." Lauren replied.

They shared out the pancakes, Lauren putting syrup and chocolate chips on hers. "Should we talk to dad?" Lauren asked settling at the table.

"He'll clam up worse than mum!" Lily sat then sliced into a pancake. "Can't hurt to try I guess."

"Cool." Lauren told her grinning.

* * *

Danny was snoozing on the sofa his mind mulling over what Lauren had said to the police over in the UK. She had an appointment for tomorrow to makes a statement over here. Danny had no idea what about and no one was talking to him and to be honest he was starting to feel left out. The three of them seemed all close and he was on the sidelines. So now he lay on the sofa, he hadn't much sleep last night, it had felt wrong lying in an empty bed. He had no idea what the future held for him and Alice. He just couldn't seem to find the words. He loved Alice so much….now if only he could tell her that!

Down the hallway

Lauren and Lily had been joined at the hip all day.

"You want me to come down the station with you tomorrow?" Lily asked as they headed for the living room.

"You'd come?"

"Yeah." Linked her arm. "From here on its you and me against the world! Pus I'm your big sister remember?"

"Barely." Lauren breathed.

"Literally! I'm so much taller than you too!" they were smiling when they entered the study, found their dad with his eyes closed. Lauren began to smile evilly, motioned to Lily then walked down to the kitchen. Collected a pan and wooden spoon. Lauren then moved behind the sofa and Lily stood over him. Lauren mouthed, 1,2,3 then pounded the spoon on the pan 3 times rapidly. On cue Lily shouted "DAD!"

Danny heard the racket and jumped up form the sofa looking around disorientated. "WHAT THE HELL!" he spotted his daughter bent double laughing.

Danny crossed his arms. "This was you?"

Lily looked in Laurens direction and laughed harder. Danny looked behind him and saw nothing, until he bent over the sofa and saw Lauren on the floor literally creased up with laughter holding her side.

Lily went to her and hefted her up.

"Ave never seen someone move so fast in me life!" Lauren breathed her and Lily looked at each other and continued giggling.

"You're good." Lily congratulated.

"Couldn't have done it without you."

"You two are…." Danny began.

"Wonderful?" Lauren said.

"Beautiful?" Lily suggested.

"Witty?" Lauren told him.

"Clever!" Lily nodded.

"Amazingly fantastical?" they chorused together.

Danny watched this with eyes wide. They were bloody scary when they acted like that, it was almost like they were in the others head! "No but you are both exactly like your mother! She would have found that hilarious too, meanwhile I have lost ten years off my life!"

"We agree!" they chorused. "Anyway about our mother…."

He stood up. "I'm busy."

"Dad c'mon!" Lily asked. "You need to fix you and mum. We don't want a weekend dad."

"I won't be." he assured.

"What if you and mum split? We'd only see you on weekends, less if mum went back to London." Lauren told him. "We need you, who's gonna protect us from all the amorous boys?"

"And think of all the doubters who said you and mum would never make it!" Lily added.

"And all the Hollywood men waiting to pounce on mum, she really beautiful you know." Lauren finished.

"Girls!" he stopped before they could go further.

"Please dad do it for us!" they pleaded together.

He looked at their earnest faces and felt himself melt. "I'll try." he agreed.

"Cool." Lauren told him. "Here's what you have to do."

"I am perfectly capable of doing this alone, I did manage to make your mum fall in love with me first time around without you."

Lauren raised her eyebrows. "Yeah, but this time we want this done right don't we Lil's!"

"Oh you are SO Alice's kids!" he breathed.

* * *

Later that day Danny, Lily and Lauren sat in the study,. Lauren had her guitar in her hand. "Ok dad say hello to my guitar."

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"You have to greet it."

"Erm no, it's a guitar." he scoffed.

"No, it has vibes, treat it badly and she won't play a tune for you."

"She?" he asked looking at it quizzically.

"Yeah dad I found it weird too!" lily agreed.

"Lil's be quiet yeah? And yes dad! So say hello." Lauren instead.

Lily was sniggering while looking on youtube.

"Ok, hello!" he exhaled shaking his head.

Lauren nodded and handed it over. She picked up her own electric one cradling it. "Ok, now show me how you strum."

Danny moved his hand jerkily and a shrieking filled the air

"Whoa!" Lauren yelped. "Be gentle! Treat the guitar like its delicate!"

"Lauren!" he breathed already exasperated. Why was he doing this to himself?

She took her dad's hand and readjusted his fingers. "Copy me." she told him and moved her hand slowly and evenly over the strings.

Danny copied and the guitar made a much gentler, even sound.

"Good." Lauren told him. "You found a song yet Lil's?"

"Still looking, got a few possibilities."

"Look up a song called Got it Made." Lauren suggested.

Lily did, pressed play, Danny paled. "How on god's earth am I supposed to play that?" then he heard the lyrics. "NO WAY!"

"I'll play it, you sing it. If a guy sang that to me I'd follow him anywhere!" Lauren said nodding.

Danny looked at her eyebrows raised.

Lauren cleared her throat. "Like….to a …..convent?" she asked "No where bad, no where serious!"

Danny shook his head. "Lauren I am not playing that to your mother. You shouldn't be listening to it!"

Lily turned it off.

"Fine Lil's, keep looking."

Lily did as requested as Lauren instructed her dad on finger movement.

"I've got it!" Lily declared, taking out her headphones.

Danny listened and almost groaned. "Remind me why I'm doing this."

"Coz our daddy loves us." they chorused.

He exhaled. "This is plan B right?"

They nodded.

"Let us deal with plan A!"

"Oh dear God!" he moaned.

* * *

Alice had spent most of the day at Mara, she had filled Mandy in on the Lauren stuff which she was over the moon at, she was already planning a massive family party for all of them…..it was then Mandy noticed Alice was evasive and she pulled the Danny stuff out of her….it wasn't supposed to have happened this way, but somehow it had, this argument wasn't supposed to be real! It was a put on and yet she had no idea how to dissolve it…..Mandy had then tried to convince her that if it wasn't real all they had to do was talk to each other…..but why should she? He had been the one who had left, which he hadn't consulted her about and it was awful that she had to spend the night away from him and she was sorta worried that he WAS having a dig at her and that in some ways he believed what he was saying. Then she ended up in tears when she confided that she was genuinely worried where her marriage was going. They had got their daughter back, really back but was it at the expense of their marriage?

So now she was back at home needing to talk to her husband yet not sure how, as she walked through the front door she heard Lily shouting,

"Move….move…..YES! I knew I'd hit you!"

Then she heard Lauren start shouting curse words.

She ran into the living room expecting to see them brawling….but found Danny, Lily and Lauren playing on Mario Kart on the Wii. Lily had hit Lauren with a shell.

"Hey you promised to help me!" Lauren said reaching across pressing the buttons on Lily's steering wheel.

"It's every man for themselves Lauren….sorry!"

"No your not!" Lauren hissed and managed to hit her with a red shell. She was laughing heartily.

"You two carry on and fight while I win!" Danny then cruised ahead of both of them and crossed the finish line. He dropped his controller and did a victory dance around the floor.

Lily and Lauren just watched disgusted as he strutted.

"You beat two girls dad." Lily reminded.

"Yeah, well done!" Lauren applauded sarcastically.

Alice watched them from her spot, loving that her girls were getting along so well yet sad that she was the outsider. Danny had always been such a natural with them, if she was being honest she always felt like she had to try…..Lily spotted her and motioned her across.

"Hey mum come play." patted the seat beside her.

Lauren nodded. "Yeah."

"We'll win her." Lily whispered nodding.

"Howay then!" Lauren asked eagerly.

"And this ways he'll make sure dad doesn't cheat! He gets all the good specials!" Lily said.

"Yeah he does!" Lauren said scowling him.

He gave her a wide grin.

Lauren stuck her tongue out.

"We could play two on two…." Lily said.

"Us against you!" Lauren finished.

"Yeah.…"

She looked at Danny, when their eyes met he averted them and studied his control pad. "Girls I'd love to but I need…." and pointed down the hall, then she spun.

Lauren got up and ran after Alice while Lily turned the computer off. Lauren reached Alice at the front door and took her hand.

"Me and Lily have something to show you and dad."

"Show your dad and show me later."

"Please mum." she pleaded. "It's important you see it together."

"Really Lauren? Can't I see it by myself, I can't…." she exhaled.

"Please." Lauren repeated. "You don't have to talk to him or anything, just be there."

Alice gave a gesture of surrender and before she knew it Lauren had pulled her into the living room.

Alice sat on the left side of the sofa while Danny sat on the right, they weren't looking at each other. Lily and Lauren were deep in conversation in the corner, whispers and nodding. Lauren looked towards them and smiled such a sneaky smile Alice felt her stomach drop. They walked over slowly, stopped in front of the log fire which crackled. They looked at their parents sternly.

"You two are being stupid!" Lauren began.

"Ok, I'm leaving." Alice stood up.

"Sit down or we'll tie you down!" Lily warned and produced a long piece of rope.

"And she'll do it too, she's taller than you mum! She's the muscle!" Lauren added smiling, Lily elbowed her and Lauren's face was once again stern.

Alice opened her mouth to reply when Lauren produced a gag and shook it. "Do we have to use this too?" Lauren asked innocently.

Danny couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"Same goes for you too dad!" they chorused in perfect harmony. "Don't think we won't."

"Does it freak you out when they talk like that too?" he asked Alice. "Like they can read the others mind."

"Yeah." she agreed. "Twins eh?"

"How about we both just be quiet and suffer through this. They will do what they warned….."

"No idle threats." Lily and Lauren sang wearing matching grins.

Alice sat down and crossed her arms glaring at her daughters, "You're both grounded for life!"

"Ok." Lily said. "Me and Lauren thought telling you two how stupid you were is wrong so we are going to show you!"

"Oh yeah!" Lauren declared. "Me and Lily are going to role play. I will be dad and Lily will be mum. Do your thing sis."

Lily out her hands on her hips. "Look at me! I',m Alice and I do peoples heads in all the time, especially my daughters and my husband, why he is he so stupid and horrible?"

"I am NOT horrible." Lauren replied pretending to be Danny.

"Yes you are!" Lily replied and wrapped her hands around Lauren's neck. Lauren pretended to be strangled and fell to the floor.

"Oh my god I nagged him to death!" Lily declared.

Lauren popped her head up. "Your hands around my neck helped!" then went back to being dead.

Danny and Alice were watching this smiling.

Lauren got up. "Ok, here's number two. Dad is in the surgery and is cutting open an stag."

"It's a gazelle Lauren!"

Lauren turned her head and looked at her sister, "Whatever, it's a bloody stag look at its antlers."

"We don't have stags in South Africa, and I don't see any antlers!"

"I don't see anything its pretend!" Lauren retorted quickly.

Lauren and Lily looked at their parents quickly. "Just an artistic disagreement, excuse us." and Lauren dragged Lily into a corner gesturing wildly.

Danny and Alice looked at each other and shared a smile. "They're crazy." he breathed.

"They're amazing." Alice corrected.

Danny looked at her and saw the truth of the statement shining in her eyes. "You mean both of them? Not just Lily?"

Alice stared at him stunned for a moment. "What do you think I meant?" she snapped. "Of course I meant both! Why wouldn't I?"

"The way you have acted recently you'd think we only had Lily!"

Lauren and Lily looked across. "Uh oh!" they chorused.

"Why are you so obsessed with that?" Alice yelled.

He stood up. "I don't know why the girls are even bothering to try! This wont work!"

"Mum…..dad…." the girls said.

Alice was on her feet, they hadn't heard their daughters.

"If that's what you really think…." Alice spat "…why bother then? Why try? Why stay?"

"MUM!" Lily gasped eyes wide.

Danny shrugged. "Fine, I won't." then he walked towards the hallway, picked up some keys and left.

Lily and Lauren stood in a shocked silence. Alice had covered her eyes with her hand trying to ignore the pain in her chest. Danny had left and this time it looked like for good.

* * *

Alice lay in her room later that night staring up at the ceiling missing Danny so much she ached. She heard whispering coming from the room next door. The girls were currently in Lily's room, they had tried to drag a bed in there but gave up when it was too heavy insisting that they were going to sleep together. They'd done it often enough in the past, and even if Alice had any objections, which she didn't, she didn't have the strength to argue with them. She was consumed with thoughts of living without Danny. He wouldn't come back, she knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't try….he hadn't with his previous marriage, what made this one so different? A memory of her and Danny in here laughing about something inane came from nowhere, along with it came a feeling of loneliness so intense she felt like she couldn't breath! At this exact moment she hade never felt more alone in her life.

Lily and Lauren had spoke to her earlier apologising for what happened with their dad, they had only been trying to help to make things better. Alice had told them that everything would work out the way it was supposed to, including her and Danny splitting up, although for the life of her she couldn't think of a reason why they were supposed to break up, they loved each other. It was there, she could see it, feel it, so why was everything so hard?

"When did everything get so bloody messed up?" she asked the quiet night. All she and Danny had wanted for so long was their daughter returned to them.

She closed her eyes trying vainly to remember the last time they had been in this room, whole, normal and happy. The image was grainy, almost back and white from a film, it had been long ago, before Lauren was taken. Her thoughts were broken from a few taps on her window, she tried to ignore it until she heard a few more. She got up and moved her curtains, saw nothing but the moon gleaming high overhead. Shaking her head Alice approached her bed and fell on it. A minute passed until she heard the tapping again.

"Ok whoever this is is gonna get his arse kicked!" she muttered and this time she opened the window and popped her head out. Saw Danny stood in a candle in the shape of a heart holding a guitar. He strummed along slowly, faint piano in the background along with a much louder and more guitar.

Danny then began to sing hesitantly. "They all say it, all the ones that made it, once you find the one you claim it, but you're gonna have to fight."

Danny remained standing there when a softer much more in tune female voice sang.

"When you think back, the things that threw you off track, you handled like a heart attack, cause you didn't see the light."

This time both people sang, "We both, know our, own limitations, that's why we're strong, now that we spent some time apart, we're leading each other, out of the dark, cause we both know….."

Alice felt emotion fill her at the chorus, two voices continued singing softly as Danny put the guitar down, picked up a bunch of flowers and climbed up the wall, as he hopped over the fence he withdrew a single rose form the bunch and was face to face with her.

"You could have taken the stairs." Alice said, voice croaky, not really knowing what else to say.

"I was in a hurry to get to you." ran the rose down her cheek slowly then placed it in her hand.

A tear ran down her cheek and her throat was tight. "You always promised not to make me cry….."

He caught a tear with the pad on his thumb. "I know." he said voice low, "I'm sorry." his thumb lingering on her cheek. "I know you love both of our girls equally, I have a one track mind sometimes, but you know my limitations and you still love me….."

Alice put a finger to his lips. "You were right." rested her forehead against his and frowned when the window frame dug into her stomach. "I did need to spend more time with Lauren, I didn't know how much she needed me, how much she needed to know that I love her. But its ok now Danny." pulled back and looked at him. "I want us to be ok too. I don't know how to be separate from you now, you're a part of me."

"No chance of that happening sweetheart, I love you." he leaned into the window and kissed her slowly. The moment was almost perfect, the moon shining overhead, the stars twinkling by its side the whole area shrouded in quietness….until Lauren couldn't hold it back anymore and began to play Theory of a Deadman Got it made, the chorus at least.

A loud guitar broke the hush and a voice sang, "We're having the best time living the fast life, thinking were just too damn young to die, ain't waiting for next time to see all the Bright lights, to see it all. We'll drive in the fast lane out on the freeway, tell us to slow down starts a car chase, as long as we've got each other we've got it made." Lauren sang loudly.

"LAUREN!" Lily yelled and without warning two shadows appeared from the veranda. Lauren played on as Lily chased her into the house through the back door.

Danny and Alice laughed softly. "You liked my serenade?" he asked.

Alice nodded. "It was very sweet, but you best blow out those candles before they start as fire."

He groaned. "Can't we just a have a cuddle first? I've missed you."

"You lit them Mr Trevanion!"

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips then spun and hopped over the fence. When he landed she climbed from her window and hopped over the fence too. He was bending down blowing the candles out, when the last one was out she caught him by the waist and spun him. He put his arms around her waist and they stood like that, just holding each other. Her hand snaked to around his head and pulled his head close to hers. "Let me teach you how to dance." she whispered against his ear.

He pulled back and smiled down at her. Before they got together, before they had fallen in love this was one of the ways they made up after an argument, he was touched she remembered.

"Ok." he whispered. Although not a great dancer, even after all their years together he was better than he was back then, but he wasn't going to ruin her fun. "Let me pick the song this time huh?"

As they moved slowly they missed their audience. Lily and Lauren stood watching their handiwork.

"Had no idea that this was planned from the start." Lily murmured.

"No idea they were being planned at all!" Lauren agreed. "You know them well!"

Lily smiled and slung her arm around Laurens shoulder. "C'mon we'd better leave them alone."

"I'd advise it!" Lily agreed. "They've never had to make up before and I'm guessing it won't be pretty!"

Lauren made a face and they dashed into their room.

* * *

Danny and Alice were in their room later that night. They had showered separately in their en suite, he had shaved and was now sat shirtless in pyjamas bottoms, Alice walking towards their wardrobe in shorts and a vets top.

"We can't ever let it go that far again Alice." he told her. "Even if it did work I was worried it wasn't fake for a while."

She looked towards him brushing her hair. "To be honest Danny it wasn't fake, for a while it felt real and that scared me." she tossed her brush on the cabinet and intended to go back to the bathroom when he grabbed her hand as she passed and she tumbled on to the bed beside him. She smiled up at him he leaned down and kissed her gently. She murmured an agreement and kissed him back. After lingering longer than he intended he pulled back and ran a finger down her now pink cheek.

"Tell me about the big change between you and Lauren, I didn't expect it to happen so quick."

Alice sighed while lying on her back, looked up at the ceiling like it held the answer. All she could remember was the way Lauren broke down in the hallway. "Christ Danny." she whispered, her hand seeking his.

He grasped it tightly.

"She acts so tough but she's not." Alice chewed her lower lip, an act Danny found utterly adorable, something she did while trying to work something out. "I can't say for sure what exactly started it, I'd been missing you so I had some of your scotch, nasty stuff, I was feeling fuzzy wondering whether I was gonna last and whether we should call it all off and she came in looking all….well….young if you know what I mean. I mean she acts like she's sixteen most of the time with her I don't care attitude and she stood there and I…." she looked at him. "She was fidgeting, so unsure, so not Lauren and….." inhaled deeply. "… I saw myself Danny….." she exhaled. "I saw what I must have looked like with my dad and for a second I felt sick….." a tear ran down her cheek her face broken and he knew, not matter how much a good actress she was this was all too real. "Sweetheart." he murmured pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You're not your dad, you could never…."

"But I was!" she sat up rubbing her face. "I treated her so badly….."

He sat up and cupped her cheek. "We have our daughter back and that is what matters now, the rest can all just be a bad memory….."

At the word memory she was reminded of the worst part…..the part he didn't know. Her eyes her drawn to her hand and the scars that resided there.

"She knows it all."

He glanced down at her hand and understood immediately what she meant. He nodded.

"She showed me her scars too, she…..she has a name on her back….."

He frowned. "Who….what….."

"Danny….."

He recognised the trepidation in her expression. "Alice?"

"Emma filled her head with a lot of rubbish including….it turns out…..Emma is Alistair Murphy's daughter."

His face darkened.

"Lauren has the name Murphy on her back….."

Danny clenched his jaw.

"Lauren believed Alistair was…..he was her father…."

His stomach filled with acid. "But…." she saw his expression was now pain filled.

"It's all different now! It makes sense! I told the police all those years ago this wasn't random, it was too well planned! Emma blames me for everything that happened to her dad. She took Lauren to punish me so I felt her pain. But when Lauren talks to the police it'll all be ok! She's on our side now. She knows the truth."

He nodded quietly, eyes full of shadows.

She turned his face so his eyes were on hers. "Talk to me honey," she coaxed.

He closed his eyes unable to look at her. "I just hate that she spent so many years believing that someone else was her dad, not only that but HIM! Because of him she almost didn't exist!" raised her hand to his lips. "He almost took you."

She grinned cockily. "Hey I'm here aren't I?"

"I know," he agreed.

"And this time I'm leaving nothing to chance!" her voice cold and hard. In seconds she had returned to her old self. "Anyway don't worry about him! He's gone! And Lauren knows you are her dad and more than that she knows we love her."

He smiled wide and real.

"She called me mum Danny, I found it so hard to speak at first."

"We've really got her back then?"

"Really!" Alice laughed.

* * *

Emma sat crossed legged in the middle of a dark room staring at her mobile phone intensely. "Ring!" she hissed. "You need to ring! RING NOW!" when silence reigned she closed her eyes and swallowed back the anger which threatened to overflow. "Why isn't she ringing me back dad?" she whispered eyes heavenward. "She should have replied by now."

Although the room remained quiet Emma heard a reply clear and felt he muscles jerk.

"She would never betray me dad!" she yelled. "I did everything you said, I taught her well!"

As the voice wove lies in her mind she felt the rage begin to swell, her hands began to shake.

"NO!" she roared. "She wouldn't! She knows the plan, how important this is, it's what this last seven years was about! SHE has the gun in her hand, Alice on her knees as her own daughter shoots her!"

Her dad replied.

"NO!" she screamed once again. "If she has I'll kill her!" she vowed. "I'll kill her first!"

Emma began to smile. "You like the sound of that dad?" so eager for his approval.

In her mind her dad began to outline a plan and she nodded. "That's good dad, really good!" she agreed. "I'll take her again, make her think I'm on her side, that I've changed. that I miss her!" Emma began to laugh. "She'll never know what's coming!" Emma looked outside of her window at the African bush and smiled, her father telling her step by step how to proceed.

* * *

It was a week later, Danny and Alice were out in a wooded area walking side by side.

"We need to spend more time with the girls." Alice murmured looking through the nodded looking around suspiciously. "Yeah I was thinking we might hire someone to help us work in the…" he put his hand on Alice stomach halting her.

"We're being watched." Alice told him, feeling eyes upon her.

He nodded. "I know." and he scanned the area intently.

What neither one of them saw was the barrel of a gun peeking from a tree, aimed at Danny's chest, the person who held the gun squeezed the trigger and fired.

Danny felt the impact, looked down at his chest, and the red stain that now covered him….

"DANNY!"

**A/N sorry i have been off the radar for SOOOOOOOOOOOOO long but Uni is killing me! I'm in the home strecth now, just my dissertation to finish, a debate to do and a essay to write so i will disappear again until the 10th May, will try to update before then and read your stories as i have been sorely neglecting them lately.  
ANYWAY big chappie, you find puit that the danice break up was orignally staged then became all too real...and Lauren and Alice are all bonding :) And finally DANNY! x**


	23. A Trip to Hospital

"Danny!" Alice yelped.

Danny raised his hand and touched the liquid that coated his chest. Another shot whizzed passed and Danny pushed Alice out of the way. "Get out of here!" he told her softly

They heard a rustling behind them and spun.

"We can't let them win!" he told her. "Get out of here before they surround us!"

"They are going to win anyway! That bloody twin silent messaging system they have is a pain in the ass!"

A shot fired out and Alice was now coated in orange paint.

"Declare us the winners!" Lily called out.

"And we may let you live." Lauren finished with a cackle.

"Kid we don't even have the correct armour on! You have just ruined my favourite shirt."

"Next time you need to focus on your enemy and not on mum!" Lauren told them. "Have we won yet?"

"Yes." Alice said.

Lauren and Lily walked out from opposite sides the bush as soon as they were side by side they high fived.

"Cheaters!" Danny told them grinning.

"Winners." Lily amended. "It was a great idea coming here. I love it already. Good thinking batman."

Lauren smiled. "I do try."

"Let us get some of the armour stuff and we'll see who's the winners." Alice challenged. "C'mon Danny."

"Oh you girls are in trouble, your mum has declared war!"

"You think we're scared? Where do you think we get it from!" Lily crowed. "C'mon Lauren lets plan!" and they went off.

* * *

Paint balling had been fun, Danny and Alice had pulled together and managed to beat the girls, truth be told they had gave them a run for their money but Danny and Alice as a team had always been unstoppable and managed to scrape a few wins.

Now though it was a week later and the girls were at school and everyone was now settled into a quiet routine. It was almost like Lauren had never been taken. She and Alice bonded through their shared love of music and usually found time at least once a week to play and sing together. Alice had been sent more scripts, Danny was busy in his surgery and the girls were closer than ever.

Alice had been interested in one of the scripts but was still unsure as to whether she should take it. It might be worth getting the four of them out of the country but it rankled her that she being forced out of he own home by someone who was obviously mentally ill! And leaving her family was a no brainer, she wasn't going until Emma was out of the way! Emma had disappeared in the UK, no one matching her name or description had came over by plane…..but that isn't saying that wasn't here already! Alice was just on edge, she had this niggling feeling that it was all about the hit the fan and the waiting was making her nervous. She shook her head trying to leave the thought behind and started folding the washing at the kitchen table. Her mind was immediately wiped when she felt warm strong arms snake around her from behind and a warm kiss pressed to her neck.

"Danny!" she laughed. "I need to get this done!"

"The kids are at school." he murmured his palm rested across her stomach. "All is quiet, lets fool around."

"I have stuff to do, I have to phone my agent….." her voice trailing into breathlessness as he kissed her neck slowly.

"This will be far more fun." he told her voice low and husky. "Promise."

She swallowed thickly. "I….I…." turned to face him eyes bright.

He rested his forehead against hers. "I knew I'd change your mind. Now that I gave your full attention though….." he produced a velvet box, square about the size of her hand. "Here." he handed it to her smiling.

"What's this for?" she asked.

"Does a husband need a reason?"

She opened the box slowly and was looking at a platinum locket, he took the box as she removed it. When she opened the clasp she found photos of the girls inside, one of them a babies and one of them now, alongside that was a photo of both he and Alice together from long ago before they fell in love….although you couldn't tell by that picture. "This must have cost you a fortune."

He shook his head. "You're worth it…..and before toy say you must have saved for ages I don't care, its not a present off me if I use your money to pay for it ok! Now turn!"

She spun obediently and he put the necklace on, it felt cool against her skin.

As his figures brushed her warm skin he was reminded of long ago putting a necklace on her for the first time and thinking she was trying to kill him, immediately on the heels of that was how willing he would be to die for her now. As she turned to look at him his smile was wide.

"Now no matter where you are you will have us close to your heart." then he turned it and she spotted an inscription. "All our love forever, Lily, Lauren. Danny'

"You spoil me."

"No, its what you deserve." grinned. "I need to find a way of keeping you here." he joked, neither worried about the other leaving. They shared a deep loving kiss when he heard the phone ringing. He exhaled and picked it up. "Daniel Trevanion." his face immediately paled. "What happened?"

Alice looked up at him frowning.

"Is she ok?"

What? She mouthed but he missed it.

"We'll be right there." and he disconnected the call and pushed his phone in his pocket.

"What is it?" Alice asked.

He took her arm and guided her from the house picking up care keys as he went. "Lily's in hospital."

"WHAT? WHY!" she yelped.

"They're saying she had some sort of fit at school."

Alice climbed in the car and pulled on her belt, within minutes they were on their way.

* * *

Lily sat up in bed. Lauren by her side, they were deep in conversation. Laurens nose had been bleeding and her blouse was torn.

"I am totally gonna get her!" Lauren vowed eyes sparkling with anger.

"Lauren it really wasn't her fault!" Lily winced. "Mum and dad are going to be really angry about you being suspended again. You've only been back a week."

"I don't care! You didn't see what happened to you! You had one of her so called headache tablets and started going wild! Proper shaking! Then she started saying how it wasn't a headache tablet she gave you, wanted to see how a superstar actress was gonna like seeing her kid in the news for taking drugs! That was when I decided to punch her face in! Next time I'll do more then break her freaking nose! You were out of it on the floor and the teacher was helping and she was laughing like it was funny!" Lauren's voice getting louder after every word.

"Yeah but throwing her off the school stage was excessive."

"Next time she'll know better! If she hasn't learned next time it'll be the roof of the school!"

Lily's eyes widened. "Whoa you'd do that for me?"

"Funnily yeah, weird!" Lauren cleared her throat. "So how are you? Feeling better?"

Lily exhaled. "Dunno, I feel abit sick and I still don't remember anything after breakfast."

"You only missed Douglas in Geography so not a lot."

"Lauren I have told you you'll be in trouble if he hears you calling him that!"

Lauren wiggled her eyebrows. "I can handle old Doug!"

A door opened and their parents walked in.

'Let me handle this.' Lily told Lauren using her eyes then looked at her parents. "Mum, dad."

Alice was beside her in seconds, had her face in her hands caressing it gently, looking into her eyes. "Lily, are you ok sweetheart?"

She nodded. "Pretty much, my doctors hot which is always a plus!"

Danny and Alice looked at Lauren sat quietly by Lily's side. She smiled innocently, they took in her torn attire, blood streaked face and raised an eyebrow. "Ok what happened?" her dad asked.

"Well when I started to…." Lily began

"Fit." Danny supplied.

"Yeah when I did that I was beside her and she grabbed me to stop me falling and I punched her…..repeatedly…..in the face…. Accidentally!"

Danny looked at Alice and nodded then back to his kids. "You mean you didn't break Amelia Childs nose then throw her off the school stage breaking her arm in three places?"

"You broke her arm?" Lily gasped. "Cool!" and they high fived.

"Girls?" Danny asked sternly crossing his arms.

"Run, save yourself." Lauren whispered to Lily.

"The school rang us again." Danny finished.

"She deserved it! She was jealous Lily had the lead in the play! She gave Lily a headache tablet and she had a fit! Then when Lily was recovering she was thinking it was hilarious! Next time I bet I kill her!"

"Whoa there Rambo!" Danny told her and pressed a kiss to the top her head. She was obviously shaken and had taken out her helplessness and anger on someone else.

Lauren, after rubbing her face stood up. "Excuse me please I need to dash to the little girls room." then she lowered her head and left.

After sharing a quick look with Danny Alice followed, caught up to her quickly knowing something was wrong. A woman walked passed them, she closed her eyes as she passed, Alice and Lauren missed it. Lauren who had been walking quickly suddenly stopped, folded her arms and placed them on a wall she pressed her head against it and exhaled deeply.

"You alright?"

Lauren jumped. "Jeez! Make a noise next time mum!"

"I asked if you were ok." Alice repeated knowing Lauren was trying to divert her.

Lauren rested back against a wall. "It wasn't me who had the fit."

"You seen it though, couldn't have been easy seeing someone you love like that."

Lauren shrugged and looked out of a window. "What if I wasn't ok." she whispered. "Nothing can be done can it? It can't change it." she swallowed and closed her eyes. "One minute she was fine, telling me about how next year I'd be giving her a run for her money in the lead and the next she went all rigid and was on the floor." she looked at her mum eyes glistening. "I thought it was a put on but then her eyes rolled and she was jerking and…..I just lost it I didn't know what to do then when I heard that stupid bit…girl….." she finished at Alice look. "…..saying all this stuff I had to do something, I couldn't help Lily but I could do that! Are you and dad really angry?"

Alice pulled her close and wrapped her in a warm embrace. "Not at all." ran a hand own her cheek and looked at her. "You just need to learn how to handle this stuff better."

"Punching her in the mouth was worth it, her mate clocked me on like." winced as she touched her nose. "I was dragged away before all five of them got stuck into me."

"Five?" Alice's jaw dropped. "You took on five girls?"

Lauren nodded "I wasn't scared of them I was scared for Lily, now the shock or whatever has worn off and I'm just.… it won't happen again will it?"

Before Alice could answer they saw Danny and Lily approaching. Laurens face betrayed none of her earlier turmoil.

"I'm free to go!" Lily declared happily. "The doctor spoke to dad if I have anymore seizures I have to come back and have a brain scan. As it is being called idiotic."

Danny chuckled. "Idiosyncratic." he corrected.

"Yeah whatever." she breathed. "Anyway it means they don't know why I had a seizure I just did! Anyway I'm starving, can we go get some dinner?"

"Sure."

"Excuse me, the ladies awaits." and Lauren side stepped them.

"I'll hang back for her Danny, just get me a tea and Lauren the same as Lily."

Lily and Danny wandered off while Alice waited. Lauren emerged moments later.

"I told them we'd meet them in the canteen."

"Cool." Lauren replied and they began to walk.

"Lauren, did you really throw that girl off the stage?"

"Tripped, threw, pushed….." Lauren shrugged. "I like to think that my hand just flew that way and accidentally on purpose nudged her over the edge."

Alice laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders, "Accidentally on purpose, I like it. Next time…."

"Don't push her?" Lauren asked looking at her mother.

Alice shook her head and lowered her voice. "Don't get caught!"

Alice and Lauren were laughing as they approached Lily and Lauren. Lauren sat beside her sister and started talking Lily hugged her and Lauren hugged back unrestrained. They didn't see a pair of eyes fixed on them full of hate and malevolence.

* * *

The night was silent as a person walked around the house looking for a way in, she wasn't stupid enough to try the front door, they would be alarmed. If Lauren had been in touch she could have let her in…but she was under no illusions as to whose side that little bitch was on now! She had forgot everything Emma had taught her! She had been taken in by all the material things Alice could give her and had forgot what Alice put her through! Well she was gonna get a lesson, and this time she would NEVER forget! She headed for the back of the house and inspected the windows closely, found one in the bedroom open a crack. She smiled eased her knife inside and pushed until she could slide her fingers underneath eased it open slowly, saw two figures in separate beds. She smiled opened the window wide enough and climbed inside. She walked over to the fair haired one and clamped a hand hard over mouth.

**A/N yes i'm evil Danny wasn't actually shot they were paintballing, but keep reading as Emma is at the house! Stay tuned next chappie up 2moro, then i disappear again until the 10th may  
Only managed to put this up as I finished the dissertation earlier then expected :D x**


	24. Showdown

Lauren lay sleeping soundly…..until the feeling of a breeze stirred over her cheek, she was about to turn over when a hand clamped over her mouth. Her eyes jerked open they widened when she saw Emma bent over her shadows across her face. It took her seconds to pull a gun and train it on Lily sleeping in the next bed.

"Not a word Lauren or I'll shoot her!" she hissed softly in warning.

Unknowingly Lauren was being tested, the Lauren of the past wouldn't have cared if Emma shot Lily. Would this Lauren risk it? "Are you going to be quiet then?"

Lauren nodded quickly and she saw anger fly across Emma's face as she raised her hand.

"Emma I…." Lauren began sitting up.

Emma grabbed her collar and pulled her face close to hers. "You call me mum! NOT EMMA!"

"I need….."

"Call me mum Lauren, NOW!"

Lauren pasted a belligerent look on her face, this shit ended right now! "No. Alice is my mum." and pulled away from her. "She told me everything! I was only a child Emma, five!"

Emma felt like beating Lauren right there….but composed herself. "Get some clothes, we're going!"

"Where?" Lauren whispered.

Emma cocked her gun, it clicked in the darkness and Lily began to stir.

"If she wakes up and sees me I'll kill her. As it is I only want to kill you, your choice, HER? OR YOU?"

Lauren picked up her pink bear and looked at it sadly. Placed it on the bedside cabinet then looked at Emma stonily.

"Go in your wardrobe get some clothes, remember if she wakes….."

Lauren got up, looked at her sleeping sister as she passed eyes full of sadness. She should have known this day was coming, it just really hurt that it was now. She took off her pj's and pulled on jeans and a jumper. "I need to go to the bathroom before I go."

"You have two minutes, I have the gun….." Lauren walked inside, she had to leave the door open, the toilet behind the door. She went to the cupboard tipped out nail varnish onto the sink and wrote a quick message on the mirror, she flushed the toiler, re-entered the room and saw Emma toying with the gun as it was trained on Lily. She had a picture of Lily, Lauren and Alice in her hand.

"Get that gun off her now!" Lauren warned voice soft but deadly. "Or I swear to God I'll….."

Emma smirked at her. "When did you get so feisty, you were so much more pliable last time, malleable."

"You made me into this person so do it! You may kill me but I _will_ find a way to take you with me!"

Emma smiled. "I am going to have such fun killing you, Alice would be proud, too bad you won't be around to see how much!" she motioned to the door.

Lauren walked over and opened it, as she did Lily stirred and Laurens whole body froze.

Lily opened one eye. "Lauren?"

Lauren looked to Emma and saw the gun trained on her, SHIT! "I'm just going for a drink Lil's, go back to sleep." please she pleaded mentally, just go back to sleep, then blanked her mind in case her sister picked up on vibes.

Lily mumbled something she yawned and settled.

"Bye Lil's." she whispered sadly as Emma pushed her into the hallway.

"Disarm the alarm!" Emma told her as they reached the end.

Lauren smirked. "Make me!"

"I'm telling you listen….."

"No you listen!" and Lauren pushed her.

Emma's eyes flared with shock.

"I'm not five years old and I'm not scared of you anymore!"

She pressed the gun against Lauren's forehead. "Do it or I shoot you right here right now!"

Lauren looked in her eyes completely unphased by the gun. "No you won't, you could have done that in my room but you wanted to take me again. To prove you could have me anytime you wanted, to mess with my mum…"

Emma grabbed her collar and pinned her against the wall. "I am your mum ME! I raised you, remember how many times I told you NOT to say that again!"

Lauren didn't flinch, Emma had taught her too well "You raised me?" Lauren scoffed. "You took me from my family, you stole me from the people who loved me! Alice Collins is my mum and I love her not you!"

Emma's eyes widened and she cracked the butt of her gun off Laurens head. "Disarm this fucking alarm or I'll find your precious mothers room and shoot her in the head!" her eyes bulging, veins in her neck pulsing. "Or maybe I'll get your dad…."

Lauren lay, her arms wrapped around her head. "7648275" she moaned. She couldn't let that happen not to her mum or dad! This was her fault, she led Emma here and she was willing to take the consequences.

"If this code is wrong they are all dead!"

"Press the musical note key, it silences it."

Emma did as Lauren told her and the alarm was disarmed swiftly. Emma smirked, picked Lauren up by her hair and ragged her out of the front door, down the stairs and threw her into the side of the car. Lauren impacted hard and bit back a cry of pain.

"Get in!" Emma demanded.

"I fucking hate you you twisted bitch!" Lauren spat at her. "But Alice, that's real love, not like your freak of a dad! He didn't love you like Alice loves me!"

Emma strode towards her and kicked her hard in the stomach then stomped on her head. It did as Lauren knew and her face was coated in red stocky blood as it spewed from her nose. She made sure some dripped onto the ground.

"Where we going?" Lauren asked breathlessly. "Or do I not get to know?"

"There's a place near the giraffes, nice and quiet, just right for us to be alone and get reacquainted. So up NOW!"

She wrapped her arms around her head and raised herself so she was on her knees, her hand moving over the small pool and wrote Booma in her blood. Then she shifted up onto her knees, used the car as support was on her feet. Emma came across yanked the door opened and pushed her inside. Laurens head hit of the door opposite. And she bit back a cry of pain.

"You must think I'm stupid Lauren!" and swiped at the blood on the ground smearing the message. "I taught you remember, everything you'll do I can anticipate!"

Lauren felt her body deflate as hope left her. Emma was smiling victoriously and Lauren shot her a dark malevolent look.

"Mummy won't be around to save you, just like last time." and climbed in the car beside Lauren and tied her hands together. "Don't want you trying to strangle me while we drive do we?"

"Fuck you!" Lauren hissed and her voice was cold and deadly. "One day I'll kill you!" she vowed.

Emma laughed. "I really did teach you well…" clutched her cheek in her hand and squeezed while looking in her eyes. "….but not THAT well!"

* * *

Light was just starting to peek over the horizon when Alice was jerked awake by high pitched screams, she lay in bed panting in the aftermath. She'd been dreaming of Lauren trapped in a dark black place, she was five again and was screaming for her, then she had yelled once more before being silenced. She climbed from bed yawning and stretching. Danny lay sleeping oblivious to her nightmare, she bent over and kissed him gently making sure not to wake him then walked into their bathroom. She was about to climb back into bed when she heard a slight bang, almost like a door slamming. She frowned and walked from her room, found the front door wide open, birds tweeting happily. She frowned knowing it had been locked last night and the alarm on. Fear filled her as she remembered the ease in which Alistair had managed to separate them and gain access to the house…..she needed to see her kids right now and opened the door to their room…..finding only one bed slept in…..her heart pounding slightly harder as she approached the bathroom door. Seen bright pink nail varnish spilled onto the sink along with the message. She's here, I'm sorry. Love you all. Lauren x. her heart plummeted and she ran from the room, out of the front door looked around…..and saw a small pool of dried smeared blood on the dirt she went down the stairs and knelt down and touched it. Flecks broke apart on her fingers she pounded her fist off the floor. "NO!" she raged. "NOT AGAIN! NOT HERE!" she got up and ran back up the stairs saw an envelope addressed to her on the table. She tore it open and a note and picture fell out.

"Come to the giraffes area alone and this will end. I will be watching, if I see anyone else I'll kill her on the spot!" Alice looked at the photo and saw Lauren as a little girl curled in a ball sobbing. Rage filled her and she waked inside. She dressed quickly knowing this day had been a long time coming….. She had prepared for this, but was it well enough? Obviously not if Emma was able to take Lauren again so easily. After dressing she turned to her husband knelt down and kissed him. He opened his eyes and smiled at her sweet and adorable.

"Good morning." he told her huskily.

She nodded. "Morning."

He reached for her and she halted him. "I'd love to stay but I have stuff to do. " then hugged him, mouth close to his ear and breathed softly. After pulling away she said. "Me and Lauren are in the bush, we'll be home soon."

He covered his eyes with his hands momentarily then nodded.

Alice had already left the room picking up keys as she left.

* * *

Lauren skidded across the floor, her face full of blood as she rolled onto her stomach. "Remember what you were told Lauren!" Emma hissed menacingly.

"Alice….loves….me." Lauren panted for what felt like the hundredth time. She kept that though fixed firmly in her mind, vainly it felt.

"WRONG ANSWER!" Emma picked her up by her hair then kneed her hard in the stomach Lauren gasped then fell to the floor holding her ribs, long passed being able to protect herself. Her whole focus was on staying conscious.

"What did you say?" Emma asked rubbing her knuckles.

"Alice….Alice…." tears fell from her eyes and dripped onto the ground. "Alice loves me!" she told her angrily.

Emma was shaking with rage, walked over and kicked her hard. Lauren rolled onto her back more tears falling. Emma wrapped two hands in Laurens hair and picked her up again. Shook her so hard Lauren couldn't see straight then dragged her to a tree and bashed her head off it twice. "Say it AGAIN!" she warned.

"Alice…..Alice…." Laurens voice distant, dark spots filling her vision.

Emma thrust Lauren away from her forcefully and she hit the floor unmoving. Emma looked at her in disgust "Weak…..pitiful…."

"Alice…." Lauren breathed. "….loves….me." then Lauren smirked at her. "And….I….hate…..you."

Emma went over to her and grabbed a handful of collar. "You just won't learn will you? Don't you remember what happened last time when you refused to do a I said?"

Emma's hand lowered to her belt and Lauren saw the blade shining in the sunshine. Emma placed her hand on the handle.

Lauren paled.

"Not so cocky now are we?"

Lauren swallowed thickly. "Alice loves me." she said softly.

"Ok." Emma said and was soon straddling her waist, pulled out the knife. Lauren fought with all she had but Emma punched her face until Lauren went limp. Emma smiled as Laurens head moved form side to side groggily. Emma pressed to tip of the blade into Laurens stomach as blood oozed and pulled down quickly.

Laurens eyes jerked open and she screamed in agony. First she carved an E, quickly followed by an M as Laurens screams echoed all around her. Emma found a twisted kind of pleasure from it, the only thing better would be Alice, but hopefully she could be here soon. As Emma was carving the third letter Lauren passed out.

Emma slapped her. "Wake up!" she hissed.

Lauren was out cold.

"WAKE UP!" raised her head as she heard a vehicle approaching. She wiped the blade on her trousers and placed it back in the sheath. "Ok mama bear." Emma whispered. "Here we go."

Alice climbed form her truck before it even came to a stop. "Lauren!" she called. "LAUREN!" Alice looked around rapidly. "Scream if you can hear me sweetheart!" she ran into a clearing and saw Lauren lain on her side, unmoving covered in mud and blood. "Oh no Lauren!" her voice escaping her. Lauren was so still so pale, was she dea…..Alice couldn't finish the thought and ran to her. Checked her pulse and found it there. Relief filled her, she was about to catalogue her injuries when she heard rustling behind her, she turned but before she could see anything she was hit over the head with something heavy and knew nothing more.

* * *

When Alice came to she found herself tied to a tree, she lifted her head and saw her daughter resting against on opposite her. Her eyes were open and she was clutching her stomach looking utterly defeated. Her blank eyes drifted towards her.

"Mum?" she asked softly.

"Are you alright?" she couldn't remember if she saw any injuries.

Lauren nodded. "You shouldn't have came."

"You're my child Lauren I'd do anything to keep you safe…"

Lauren felt a tear fall. "I'm sorry, she came this morning, threatened to shoot Lily, I didn't know what else to do."

Alice jerked her hands. "Where is she?"

Emma liked to do this to Lauren, she let her rest and recover then she started all over again, she couldn't tell her mum that though…."She'll be back soon" and she crawled to her mum clutching her stomach as she did so. As she was about to start loosening the knots they heard footsteps and Lauren scrambled away, pretending to have not reached her mum yet.

"Ah ah Lauren I warned you what I would do if you went near to her" Emma approached her like she had been hiding waiting for her to move. "Oh and look this time mummy is awake to see it!"

Lauren looked at Alice. "No matter what she does don't react please!" Lauren begged Alice as Emma picked her up by her hair. Emma dragged her to a tree, straightened her up and bashed her back against it three times rapidly. Lauren was hit so hard she bit her tongue and her mouth filled with fluid. She coughed blood then just fell to the floor.

"HEY!" Alice screamed yanking at her bounds. "Leave her alone!"

Emma smiled happily, having dreamed of this moment for years! This was the sole reason she kept Lauren alive. "Oh Lauren look, mummy didn't like that one." went to her and gripped her arm when Lauren was on her feet she hit out blindly. Emma dodged and punched her hard in the face. Lauren was about to fall when Emma caught her and wrapped her hands around Laurens throat squeezing tight. Just as Lauren was blacking out Emma let her go.

Lauren fell forward as the strength left her body. "No more…." she moaned. "no….no…."

Alice was raging unable to take her eyes off her daughter. "I'll kill you for this!" She vowed. "I swear I'll kill you!"

Emma looked at Alice then Lauren.

"Please mum…." Lauren pleaded. "Don't…."

"You should have listened to Lauren Alice….." and she pulled out the knife she used earlier.

"No Emma no…..don't…." Alice begged.

Emma smiled at her evilly and knelt over Lauren, her hand clamped firmly on her chest., pushed up her jumped and Alice saw her blood marred t-shirt and stomach.

Alice clenched her jaw as tears filled her eyes blurring her vision.

"Enjoy this Alice, I know I will….." and she began to finish carving the third letter in her stomach.

"NO!" Lauren screamed tears falling. "No….I'm sorry Emma, I'm sorry just stop." Arms flailing, unable to stop her. Lauren had hit her pain threshold. "I'll do anything!"

Alice sat there knowing to be quiet this time, she couldn't bear to see this and being unable to stop it so she looked away.

"WATCH this Alice." Emma demanded. "See what you caused!"

As she finished the last letter Lauren had quieted and was unmoving. Alice had her jaw clenched tight staring at Emma with pure hate on her face. "You better hope I don't get free while you're here coz if I do you're dead!" meaning every word.

Emma coated her hands in Laurens blood and approached Alice. Wiped it all over Alice's face, she strained against her bounds trying to get loose to hurt Emma. Emma leaned in close and whispered. "The best is yet to come." then got up went to Lauren and touched her face gently.

"Lauren….Lauren wake up…."

"No more…" she moaned.

"No more." Emma promised softly.

Alice frowned as Emma ran her hand gently down Laurens cheek. "Did you hear that Lauren?" Emma asked softly. "Alice didn't say one word to stop me!"

Alice eyes widened.

Pain was burning in every crevice of Laurens body she closed her eyes just wanting it to end.

"She heard you screaming in pain begging me to stop and did nothing to stop me just sat and watched. She doesn't care."

"Lauren no, you know that's not true you know I….." Alice began

"You say she loves you then why didn't she try to stop me? Why is she sat there unharmed while you have to go through all this pain? If it was Lily she would have found a way."

In a twisted way it was all starting to make sense in Laurens head. Lauren tried to look to Alice but Emma was all she could see.

"EMMA!" Alice spat. "Don't so this to her anymore! She's only a child!"

"Say another word and I'll kill her." Emma's voice low intended for Alice only. Then she turned back to Lauren. "its because she doesn't love you Lauren, she wants me."

Tear filled Laurens eyes. "No….my mum..."

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this but you know the truth. She doesn't love you, she loves Lily." ran a hand down her hair gently. "I did this to prove to you, its her fault I had to hurt you and I'm so sorry!"

Lauren looked at Alice eyes unsure full of pain, she lowered her head and Alice saw the moment she lost her daughter. "Help me mum." then raised her head and looked at Emma.

Emma nodded, "I'll help you."

Lauren looked to Alice again, her green eyes were turning black. "I forgot." Lauren whispered, face impassive almost sneering.

"I can help you remember." Emma helped Lauren to sit up gently.

Alice felt her heart break when she saw the old Lauren on her daughters face. The one they met in London. She wasn't the smiling child they got back anymore. She looked like Emma now.

"It's ok Emma, I remember now." Laurens voice hard. Got up to her feet and stumbled towards Alice. Fell to her knees in front of her face full of hate and malice. "And now I am going to do what I am here for."

"Lauren you know I love you…."Alice began.

"SHUT UP!" Lauren raged. "All these years building up to this and I almost didn't get my chance!"

Emma handed her a gun and Lauren felt the weight of it heavy in her hand, blood was trickling down her stomach soaking her trousers making her feel weak. Still she raised the gun and levelled it on Alice. Emma was smiling, overjoyed. Alice was looking at Lauren, "Do what you have to Lauren, remember what I promised though, we'll be ok no matter what."

Lauren sneered, "It would have always come to this Alice, me against you."

Emma clapped. "Do it Lauren!" she hurried.

"I just have one final things to say!" Lauren hissed, "One magic kiss….."swivelled and turned the gun towards Emma and pulled the trigger, a click sounded. Lauren heard it and felt her heart plummet. She looked at Alice. "I'm sorry." she whispered as Emma grabbed her hair and threw her to the ground.

"That was stupid Lauren! STUPID! How could you think I'd give you a loaded gun after you betrayed me! I taught you better than that! My Lauren wouldn't have fell for it, she made you soft!" Emma was kicking her and Lauren lay there limp unmoving. Alice shouting yelling threats the whole time.

"She'll never be your Lauren! EVER!" Alice shouted pulling her bounds frantically. "I'll kill you for this!"

"She was mine Alice." Knelt down and looked at Lauren. She was unconcious so Emma approached Alice. "She was." knelt down in front of her. "She cried for you you know, for weeks and weeks locked in that little dark room and everytime she murmured your name I hurt her, worse each time. Took her forever to realise what I was doing..."

"You should know better to turn your back on me Emma." Lauren said weakly then swung the wood Emma had used to hit Alice. It impacted her head and she fell sideways and rolled she'd been hit so hard. "You taught me that." Lauren murmured and fell to her knees holding herself up with her hands. Her head was pounding and she was struggling to breath. Emma wasn't moving.

"Lauren?" Alice asked softy. Mother and daughter looked at one another, to Alice it was clear to see that Lauren had went through hell, her clothes were blood soaked and there were brusies forming on her face, her lip was splt and she wa coated in sweat and mud.

"I'm fine." she croaked and crawled around to open Alice's knots. As soon as Alice's hands were free she was beside Lauren pulling her close.

"I'm SO sorry mum!" Lauren babbled as tears began to fall. "I thought if she thought I hated you again she'd give me the gun and I could help us I didn't mean anything I…."

Alice smoothed her hair back and kissed the top of her head. "It's ok." Alice promised. "But we need to move now!" and she pulled Lauren to her feet. They both finally looked in Emma's direction and saw she had a gun raised. A shot fired out…

**A/N poor Lauren Emma really did a number on her :( but now one of them is hurt but is it Alice or is it Lauren and unlike last time someone HAS been shot, perhaps fatally as someone does die in this!  
I will try to get the next chappie up as soon as i can but uni work is still stressing me out :( x**


	25. Taken Away

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, the boom of a gun, the tear of the bullet through flesh and Alice stumbling back and falling to the floor.

"MUM!" Lauren screamed high pitched almost feral.

Alice touched her stomach, her fingers coming away coated in thick sticky fluid. She swore. Lauren grabbed her arm trying to pick her up, "C'mon mum we have to go!" she said breathlessly, staring at the blood slowly flowing from Alice.

Alice pushed her away. "Run!" she gasped. This wasn't supposed to be happening this way! "Get in the truck and go to your dad…." Alice looked past Lauren and saw Emma aim her gun on Lauren. Alice pushed her forcefully aside and a bullet whizzed past.

Lauren looked back at Emma, face pale and terrified.

"She has a gun!" Alice told her frantically. "GO NOW!"

"I….

"NOW!" Alice ordered.

Emma had sat up and was fumbling for more ammo. Lauren hugged her mum briefly then stumbled into the bush and disappeared. Alice rolled and pushed herself up to her knees. Was on her feet and fell against a tree, blood oozing.

Emma reached her and spun her, Alice fell back against the tree slumped against it.

"Well Alice, me and you, the way it should be!" Emma narrowed her eyes and shot Alice again, near to the original shot. Alice jerked and slid down the tree, her face coated in sweat, eyes half mast.

"I've waited so long for this day!" Emma laughed. "To see you broken, bleeding, an empty shell!"

"Lauren…got …away…she'll tell Danny….my girls….are safe…."

Emma laughed. "You think HE can keep them away from me? He doesn't have the best of track records does he? He couldn't protect you."

Alice's eyes darkened.

"I mean how easy was it for my dad to separate you? How easy was it for me to get you out here? This is the way he wants it Alice, as soon as you are dead he'll have the house and the money, yeah he'll have your brats but maybe if I kill them it'll do him a favour! Maybe he'll thank me."

Rage was clear to see on Alice's features and her face was hard.

"About your brats I may go find Lauren, let her watch you die. It'll be an enlightening experience for her."

Alice shook her head, "She's gone…."

"You think she'll leave you here knowing how hurt you are? You don't know her very well do you…." Emma smiled. "Well of course not I saw to that!" Emma was down on her haunches. "You did a good job, we both did. You taught her to love you, but I taught her loyalty. She won't leave you here, she's close by, planning how to save you. A kind of absolution for her sins, coz she has sinned you know. She almost killed you in the hotel that first morning, you were asleep on the sofa and the pillow was on the floor. She told me how she felt, how much she wanted to do it. She told me how she pushed Lily around, told me how she was splitting the family down the middle. She described it so vividly it was almost like I was there…..or maybe I was, in her!" the gun shaking as she spoke, eyes alight with madness.

Alice clenched her jaw, sweat trickling down her face, her eyes rolled and Emma pushed her so her body was tight against the tree. "Don't you dare pass out!" and pressed the gun against the blackened hole in Alice jumper. Blood oozed over the tip and Alice moaned loudly.

"You have NO idea what it was like growing up as Alice Collins stalkers kid!" she hissed, eyes focused on Alices intently. "I was hated! People spat on me! I had no life, my mum killed herself from the stress of it all. And YOU were in the papers every day, like a reminder, you were loved, getting married…..a good thing out of it all, you fell in love, but me?" she pressed the gun harder on the wound. "I WAS HIS BRAT!" voice full of rage. "That's when he spoke to me and told me what to do. I'm gonna do what my dad failed but I'm taking your kids too…."

"Danny won't let you, he'll keep them safe, he'll do anything….." her voice distant.

"The fun in this Alice, is watching him fall apart, if he loves you like you claim he does of course. My plan is to take you, then Lily, then Lauren and finally if I'm feeling merciful….."

"Leave my kids alone!" Alice warned voice strong and unwavering.

Emma moved the gun from the wound on her stomach to her forehead. "There's something I feel you should know before I kill you. It's the reason why I took Lauren and not Lily. It wasn't as random as you might think. Lily was such an active child back then wasn't she? Always running off, eager to investigate anything and everything, Lauren on the other hand used to stick close to her daddy, such a daddy's girl then wasn't she? Is she still like that now?"

"Shut up!" Alice warned. "Don't talk about my daughter like you know her!"

"I had numerous opportunities to take Lily Alice." Emmas voice snide. "I actually thought that I might have to take her but the one I wanted was Lauren, specifically.

Alice froze heart pounding unable to tear her eyes away from Emma.

I have your attention now huh?" Emma asked. "Who do you love Alice? Who made you happy when my whole life was falling apart? DANNY! He made you happy when I was in so much pain! I took Lauren because she looks like her dad. I took Lauren because I knew how much it would kill you to think of your mini Danny sat in a room all alone sobbing, begging to go home. I sat and laughed Alice, the louder she cried the more I laughed."

Alice was about to lunge for her when a dart whizzed through the air and grazed Emma's head. Emma fell on her hands and Lauren ran from no where and hit her head with the butt of the gun three times. Emma lay on the ground, definitely unconscious this time.

"Lauren?" Alice breathed.

Lauren picked up Emma's gun and threw it into the bush then put her mums arm around her shoulders and started dragging her towards the car. "I couldn't radio dad, I didn't know the frequency, but I found the dart gun and knew what I had to do to the crazy bitch!"

Alice nodded. "You did good…." the truck appeared in the distance. They went to it and Lauren helped Alice inside. "It's…." she saw a flash of colour in the bush and quieted. "You drive…." pulled open the vet box which was on the drivers seat.

"Me?" Lauren gasped.

Alice kept glancing in the bush and was sure she saw Emma's face. "Just steer and press the peddles! I'll deal with the gears."

Lauren moved the box and climbed in and turned the key. When Lauren's head was turned Alice grabbed something from the box and pressed it on the wound. The truck began to move slowly, Lauren put on more pressure and they were on their way.

Alice was pulling materials out of the box looking for anything that would help. Lauren glanced at her.

"Head for the road on the right." Alice ripped open more bandages, wadded them up, pressed down and swore profusely. She noticed the terrified look in her daughters eyes. "Your stomach ok?" She asked Lauren softly.

"I put some bandages on before I came back to you."Alice heard the faint sound of a truck in the distance and knew they were being watched.

"Your dad….will sort it…." Alice winced. "Left…" sweat trickling down her forehead.

"You'll be ok mum." Lauren told her gently making the truck move faster. "It'll stop hurting soon."

Alice nodded. "Pain is good... pain means I'm still alive." her eyes drifting closed.

"No mum don't sleep! Talk to me!" Lauren panicked.

"You could sing me a song." Alice suggested.

"You sing me a song." Lauren countered. "A really good one." anything to keep her mum awake.

Alice smiled nostalgically. "I have a song for you actually, found it a few weeks ago."

"Go on then!" Lauren told her turning the wheel.

Alice took a breath and sang a song low and heartfelt, put all her pain in the line. "I had no chance to watch you grow, so sadly beautiful." eyes losing their light. "You have your fathers hair and your fathers nose but you have my soul…." Alice voice growing softer and lower.

Lauren could barely see the road for the tears blurring her vision. "You're gonna get better right?" Lauren pleaded.

"Yeah…" Alice breathed, raised her hand and dropped it on Laurens. "Can't keep us Trevanion's down huh?"

"Don't do this to me mum." Lauren whispered, knowing Alice was lying, she swallowed sob. The house appeared in the distance and Lauren floored the accelerator. "Nearly home, tell me what to do!"

Alice head was rested back on the seat, eyes almost closed. "Get your dad." Alice told her. "Take care… of yourself…and Lily…you're stronger….than her…."

Lauren nodded and jumped out of the truck as soon before the truck stopped. She fell to her knees but scrambled up into the house. Alice turned her head away.

"DAD!" Lauren yelled running into the house. Danny appeared from the living room and when he saw his daughter his jaw dropped. She was covered in mud and blood, her face bruising. "Lauren what's happened?"

She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the door. "Mum needs you!"

As he was being pulled outside He took out his phone and dialled a number, his voice deserted him again when he spotted Alice. 2 pads were resting limply against her stomach which was bleeding slowly. Her hands hung limply by her sides, those two smeared with red. The chair she was sitting on was drenched, blood dripping onto a small puddle on the floor of the truck. "Ambulance please, Leopards Den urgent!" then he tossed the phone aside, ran down the stairs and was by Alice's side. He knelt in the truck lifted the pads gently and saw her two wounds. "Oh Jesus!" he breathed sickness filling him when he saw she'd been shot twice! "Alice….Alice sweetheart do you hear me?"

Her eyes seemed to focus onto his at the sound of his voice. "It's good to say you." she whispered voice distant. "Hi honey."

He examined the wound again, grabbing fresh pads from his box, sickness filled him as the blood on the floor seemed to be growing, her lips and tongue were red too. "What happened to you huh?" he asked voice shaking trying to be flippant, like she wasn't dying in front of him….dying…. He began rooting in his box again while putting pressure on the wound on her stomach.

Alice began to giggle inappropriately, proof of her delerium. "An accident." she laughed more. "I got in the way of a gun, twice. Bad Alice. Bad bad Alice." her chuckles subsiding as she quieted looking into the distance.

Danny glanced at the front door and saw Lily stood there, her face terrified, eyes wide. "Lily cally Mandy to come and get you and Lauren." he said.

Alice grabbed his hand tightly. "YOU need to stay with them." her eyes no longer unfocused but full of fire. She squeezed his hand and he looked at their joined hands, felt a pain in his chest. He lifted his eyes to look at her face. "Emma's here! Promise me you won't leave them! Promise me!" her voice slowly growing weaker, the fire in her eyes diminishing.

"Sweetheart…." he said voice breaking.

"Who's here?" Lily asked tears on her face.

Lauren appeared behind her with her a clean -shirt on, holding her stomach. "Doesn't matter." Laurens voice raspy, her eyes red rimmed.

"Lily get my box." he asked then added softly. "These pads are soaked through. She wasn't going to last long with all the blood she was losing….

Lily pushed passed Lauren to get inside, Laurens back hit the doorframe and she winced.

"We were good huh?" Alice asked Danny softly.

Blood oozed under his fingers and he grabbed the blue sheet from out of the box in the truck. "Lauren lay this in the back of the truck."

Lauren moved as quickly as she could, spread the sheet quickly then returned to the veranda which was helping to keep her upright.

Danny had picked up Alice, and her clothes saturated with blood left him coated. He lay her in the back and she flopped down.

"Alice?" he demanded.

"Everything is so blurry." she mused looking up at the blue sky. "And shimmering, its pretty and bright.

"To answer your question. "We are good" he told her heatedly. "We ARE!"

She looked up at him and swallowed painfully. "It passed so quick….all we've done…all we…." she trailed off breathless.

Danny put his hand on her cheek. "Stay with me sweetheart."

"I…I loved you from the beginning." smiled nostalgically, eyes glassy panting. "You stood…looking all superior, taking no rubbish…." she smiled. "I liked that." inhaled sharply. "I thought smart and good looking…..I might marry him…."

Lily arrived with the box, he took it. Lily stood by Lauren on the veranda, both of their faces stoic. Danny was throwing things out of the box he couldn't use. "You'll be ok sweetheart, I promise you'll be ok." he told Alice eyes full of tears knowing he was losing her. Rage filled him suddenly and he pushed the box away. "I CAN'T USE THIS!" his heart pounding. "Alice…." his voice breaking as the rage drained as quick as it came. "I can't do this without you."

"You made me laugh…." carried on like she hadn't heard or seen his outburst. Her body jerked forward and she vaulted up. He caught her and their hands joined. She exhaled a large breath as he rested her back down, her head turned to the side.

Danny turned to his girls. "LILY LAUREN INSIDE!" he shouted. They didn't need to see this.

He turned back to Alice, her face full of pain, hands fisting the sheet tightly, blood trickling from her mouth. Eyes rolling to the back of her head, blood wouldn't stop flowing!

"I love you…" she panted, her voice even sounding like it was in pain.

He wasn't doing this! He refused to say goodbye! "KIDS!" he roared.

Lily and Lauren remained where they were.

He closed his eyes and pressed a closed his against his head.

"Our girls…." a shudder wracked through Alice, her hands and clothes covered in her own blood. Her eyes growing dimmer, she was loosing too much blood. "I love…I love.…" she was blinking slowly almost like she was tired.

"Alice come on." he whispered, his tears falling on her face. "Don't do this, not here, not now."

"You forgot…. The little….p word…" she gasped.

"What? tears falling fast now. "Prat?" his voice breaking.

Alice lay still looking up at the clear blue sky, "It's ok really….." she whispered. "I'll be….. ok." Alice told him softly, a tear fell from her eye as they drifted closed. "You need….. to be strong I…." Alice exhaled softly and that was it.

Danny started hyperventilating. "No." he gasped and started CPR. "No….no….come on sweetheart! Don't do this to me!" he hung his head, hands stopping, his body losing all strength. "Please." he rested his head on her chest tears flowing down his face, he was quiet for a moment. "Remember Alice." he whispered so low so only she could hear. "Remember when the girls were born. Remember when we got married. Remember in Canada. Remember the snow? You loved the snow, remember thinking we were going to be snowed in our log cabin and not caring? Remember the cold? Remember walking hand in hand the snow falling on our faces? Remember one fell on you face and you…..you laughed…your eyes twinkled…." barely able to speak past the lump in his throat the ache in his chest growing with every word. "If you remember you won't leave…."

Alice remained unmoving, no sound came from her.

He clenched his jaw as grief hot and overpowering flooded him. Sirens wailed in the distance.

Lily and Lauren approached. "Dad?" Lily whispered tears falling.

He was sat in the back of the truck obscuring their mother so they couldn't see her in a this state. He wanted them to remember her as she was. "Go in the house please," he croaked.

"But mum…." Lily began.

He exhaled a shaky breath his face pale and tear stained. "Please go inside."

Lauren saw the look on their dad's face and knew he was barely holding everything together. She took Lily's arm and they walked up the stairs. As they headed inside they saw an ambulance pull up.

As the ambulance technicians approached Danny walked up to them. They spoke and they nodded solemnly and Alice was put on a stretcher, before she was placed inside Danny pressed a soft kiss to her head. "I love you always." he promised. She was placed inside and they left. Danny watched it go then walked up to the house, heart heavy, shoulders slumped. He found Lily and Lauren in the living room. Lauren beside a first aid kit.

"Here I'll do that." he croaked noticing she was holding her stomach.

She shook her head silently.

"Lauren?" he asked.

"Dad…." she whispered.

He sat beside her and moved her arms slowly, pushed her t-shirt up to reveal her stomach all covered in bandages. "What's this?"

"Emma had me." she whispered.

He stood up and took her arm gently. "We'd better get you to hospital."

Then he grabbed some keys to a car and left the house. All three people ignored the blood soaked truck as they left.

**A/N well you found out why emma took Lauren and no it wasn't random  
alot of you mentioned you wanted me to kill Emma and i wanted to...but nope it was Alice...how is the family going o react, but more importantly how is emma going to react?  
I am going to try and get the next chapter up tonight but who knows I still have deadlines Eugh! x**


	26. Planning

Danny sat in a darkened living room the next morning, the TV on in the background on mute. Alice hadn't been on the news yet, well she had there had been a rumour circulating about something or other, she'd been on it anyway but not about her…..he held a picture of them in his hand, once again he looked at her running a finger slowly down her beautiful face. His eyes red rimmed, throat hoarse and throbbing. Right now all he wanted was for the ground to open up and swallow him whole…..but he had his girls to think about. They had stayed in his room last night, he sat at the chair, wide awake with a gun, ready to shoot anyone who dared to show their face. He heard footsteps down the hallway and Lily appeared, as always the image of her mother so much so it almost hurt to look at her.

"I took the phone off the hook, people have started calling, wondering." her brow furrowed and she exhaled as tears filled her eyes.

Danny nodded, his eyes flat and lifeless.

She walked towards him. "Is she really gone dad?" she whispered.

He opened his arms and she went to him he was rubbing her hair softly, rocking. As she cried softly.

**Meanwhile**

Lauren paced in her room rage filled. She ripped the phone she had been charging out of the wall and turned it on. Fifty six text message and over 100 missed calls were on it. She dialled the number.

"Well hello Lauren I didn't expect to hear from you." Emma said. "How do you feel this morning? Sore?" she chuckled.

"She's dead!" Lauren raged. "She's dead coz of you!"

"Alice is dead?" Emma asked gleefully. "I thought she'd survived! Not as many lives as a cat I see!"

"I just rang you to tell you to stay away from my family Emma!"

Emma laughed. "You're threatening me?" her voice cold. "Don't even go there! Part two is in progress and since Alice is out of the way time for Lily, but don't worry it'll be your turn soon. I have something very special in mind for you!"

"Fuck you!" Lauren hissed. "Hurt Lily and I'll take you down. My dad has guns and I'm gonna do to you what you did to my mum as soon as I can!"

Emma just laughed and put the phone down, turned in her room and out a line through Alice's picture. Her eyes drawn to Lily's. After her Lauren and finally Danny! Oh this day kept on getting better!

Lauren however was left standing in her room after Emma disconnected. She threw the phone across the room, fisted her hands and pressed them against her eyes. This isn't fair raced through her brain. She'd only had her mum for eight days!

She needed to get out of this room, out of the house so she picked her guitar and walked outside, the sun was high indicating morning was here. It must have rained during the night as the place smelled fresh and clean. Lauren just sat in the stair plucking at random strings hating her life, hating everything. Usually she would have tired to sing random lyrics that came to her head but she didn't feel anything, she felt dead inside.

"Lauren?" her dad voice came from behind her. She looked back as him, playing, her guitar not as soothing as it usually was. She had never lost anyone before….

"Was this what if felt like when you lost me?" she asked softly.

Danny frowned. "I'm not sure what you mean." and sat down beside her.

"Did it feel like it was never going to stop hurting?" voice shuddering, she covered her eyes.

"Losing you was different to this." he told her gently then stood up. "We're heading over to Mara, its safer there for you and Lily. She'll target both of you next."

Lauren tossed her guitar away, it clattered noisily as she was on her feet beside him. "Let her target me!" she raged. "She'll NEVER get a chance to hurt me again!" full of bravado.

Danny shook his head. "You're better than that."

"You think so?" she shouted. "Want to know my plan when I got here? Want to know what I almost did in the hotel? My job, the whole reason I was here, the reason I was taken was to kill her! I hurt Lily in the hotel then made her not tell you! I picked up a pillow ready to suffocate mu…." she closed her eyes and clenched her jaw pain shafting. "Don't pretend you knew, I made sure. I wanted to divide the three of you and it almost worked, its how Emma told me to do it." covered her eyes with her hand.

He went to her and pulled her close. "It's ok."

She pulled away, "No it's not! Now me and Lily don't have a mum and I wasted most of the time I did have!"

He lowered his head and looked at her. "You have making pancakes. You have paint balling, you have the nights she sang with you in the study. You have something, it may not be much but its quality and that is better than quantity. You know she loves you and that's enough."

Lauren sniffed and he ran a hand down her hair. "Its not easy, it won't be easy for a while but we'll be better soon ok?"

Lauren exhaled. "So off to Mara?"

"I'll get Lily." he told her nodding.

Lauren picked up her guitar and placed it on the table.

**5 Hours Later**

The land was empty and quiet, well not quite empty, a head peeked out of the surgery checking to make sure the coast was clear. Police had been doing rounds on the house, not around the clock but every thirty minutes or so they drove down and checked. They had guards from Mara too but Emma had darted them covertly tied them up and now they lay a locked pen unconscious. The kids were in the house, or Lily was. She'd seen Danny leave with them earlier but he and Lily had returned with danny earlier. Lauren though, she was absent. Emma smiled widely, glanced back in the surgery then strode out her gait long and purposeful. Time to get the Alice look alike, joy filling her as she imagined her pain filled screams. This one wasn't as strong as Lauren and would cave long before she did!

* * *

Footsteps echoed through the house. "I'm just going to check the area then we're heading back to Mara ok?" Danny called.

"Ok." came the reply from the study.

Emma was hiding in the shade of a large bush, she saw Danny leave the house, lock the door then walk around the area surveying it, gun in his hand. A car arrived at the front gates, spotted him and waved him over. He looked towards the house, said something on a radio and walked towards the car. The radio she'd taken from the guards crackled and she heard Danny say 'Keep an extra close eye while I see who this is.'

Emma smiled and while his back was turned she ran quickly towards the house, up the stairs soundlessly, crouched by the wall and using a pen knife picked the lock. Still kneeling she opened it effortlessly, turned the handle and moved inside, still on her haunches after closing the door silently she rolled her shoulders congratulating herself. After that she patted the chloroform, and the knife concealed there. She'd prefer to use the liquid but if it had to be the knife so be it. She pulled a hankie from her pocket and poured a liberal amount of the chloroform on it, leaving the bottle by the door, the she moved quickly down the hallway, Lily's dad would be back soon. As she edged into the living room she spotted a small head, slouching watching some banal show on TV. Emma was behind her in seconds and pressed the hankie onto her face. Instead of skin she felt hard plastic beneath her fingers and dropped the hankie. Lily's 'head' fell off and rolled away, Emma rounded the sofa and was looking at a mannequin in a black wig, this wasn't Lily at all! They had tricked her! No! Lily had to be here somewhere! She had saw her come in! "Where is she?" she raged. "I saw her come in here!" it was then Emma heard laughter behind the partition. Emma strode over and pushed it hard, it slid into the wall with a clatter, eyes alight. Her triumphant grin fell when she saw Alice sat in a leather chair, feet propped up on the desk. Alice smirked at her.

"You're dead!" Emma hissed. "I killed you, Lauren told me!"

"Reports of my death have been grossly exaggerated." Alice drawled lazily.

"I shot you, TWICE! You should be in hospital."

"I almost was, had you shot me in the exact place as the first time I would be!" Alice then reached down and picked up a blood splattered bullet proof vest. "Props are amazing aren't they?" tossed it in the desk. "You can't think I wasn't prepared for this! Extra blood planted in the truck for when lauren went inside, Danny knew and gave me more blood I needed in the truck. When I sat up, he caught me and we joined hands then my head flopped to the side, Remember? A small bg i put in my mouth and burst with my teeth. Don't pretend you weren't watching as I know you were, then as the ambulance came I wasn't taken to hospital but to Mara where my friend was waiting. As soon as we were sure it was safe I went to the huts, then moved to the house when the girls were gone. The only people who know about this are Danny, me, my best friend who helped sort this out and the actors who played the ambulance technicians!"

"Why the elaborate set up? The media don't know."

"Because I don't want to have to sort out another 'fake' death. Too much rubbish. Don't flatter yourself that its ALL about you."

Emma grinned realising what she said. "The girls think you're dead then? You still don't trust Lauren?"

"This has been set up since we arrived at home, I wanted to tell the girls but Danny was afraid that one of them might give it away."

"No! Admit it! You were worried Lauren would tell me. You don't trust her!"

Alice was on her feet, unconcealed rage on her features. "Don't presume to tell me what I feel about my daughter! MINE not yours!"

"She was mine though Alice. I was with her everyday telling her the same thing, to HATE you and she did. She hated you almost as much as I do. I'm finally getting what my dad wanted all those years ago."

Alice laughed and sat back down. "You have it all backwards, part of your dad didn't want me to die."

"Yes he did! He left a note saying all this was your fault but it didn't matter because soon both of you'd be gone, but lo and behold you survived,"

Alice got up, pushed passed Emma, walked to the hallway and pointed down it. "Your dad died down there, I can pinpoint the exact spot, almost by the front door, four steps in give or take. Its not something you forget. The beam from the ceiling fell, it was about to crush me and he pushed me out the way killing himself."

Emma frowned and headed towards her. "No, he wouldn't!" she spat venomously stood a short way away.

"Wake up Emma, how did I get out of there if he was alive? He drugged me, I was so far gone when he died it was a wonder I got out at all!"

"YOU KILLED HIM!"

Alice shrugged, there was no talking to her….this had to end. Alice walked to the front door and threw the deadbolt. "Its me and you Emma. No kids. No Danny. Just the two of us, this ends NOW! You not getting the chance to hurt my girls anymore."

Emma smiled at her. "Fine with me!" and lunged at her. She hit Alice in the midsection and they clattered off the hallway wall. Alice saw her reach for her knife so grabbed her arm and twisted it. "You know your problem Emma?" Alice asked pushing her away and smiling, "You tried too hard to hurt me, you wanted me to be in pain instead of dead. Had you really wanted to kill me you could have shot me in the head but you just HAD to try and make me suffer. You messed up I planned well!"

Emma lunged again, Alice's words having the desired effect, when people hit out in anger they got sloppy. Emma aimed a hard punch at Alice's face, she moved in time and Emma fell on her. Alice elbowed her in head and pushed her to the floor. Emma was on the floor face down. Alice was over her in seconds and put her arm around her throat and trapped her two arms beneath her. "You went too far with what you did to Lauren!" Alice hissed finally letting the anger she withheld to flood her system. "You had a problem with ME not her. She is an innocent child!"

"To get at a mother you use the child." Emma told her laughing softly. "You know what Alice I still win. Those seven years with Lauren? Long gone. Every form of torture imaginable Alice. Sat in a dark room, sending strangers in to scare her. She was only five, so little, so scared of big men with loud voices. Cigarette burns were the thing of choice…."

Alice's whole body was tense as Emma went into graphic detail of what she did to Lauren.

"It got to the point where if I raised my hand she'd flinch. She was so confident before, told me often you were coming. You wouldn't let me keep her, she was yours not mine. I watched that belief trickle out of her everyday. every time she said your name I took the belt to her, every time she thought of you I did too. Soon you were a bad memory and then she blocked you out and you were nothing. What sort of mother lets that happen to her child?"

It was that line that sent Alice over the edge. She grabbed handful of Emma's hair and yanked her head up. Retrieved the knife from Emma's belt and rested it against her neck. She was so close she could fell her pulse throbbing. Alice was breathing heavily wanting to do it so badly.

"Go on Alice, do it! I dare you!" Emma goaded.

Alice was literally shaking with rage, wanting her hand to move yet it remained stationary.

"If someone tortured my child I'd do it!"

"Shut up!" Alice warned.

"Some mother you are! couldn't protect her then or now!"

"I said SHUT UP!" Alice roared.

"You aren't capable Alice, I'll live, I'll be free one day and this will happen all over again!"

"NO!" Alice hissed and she tightened her grip on the blade. She was about to slice it across when Danny walked in through the back door. He paled and Alice halted her eyes still trained on Emma.

Danny felt sick, he had never seen such an expression on Alice's face before. This wasn't his wife, the woman he loved, she wouldn't be able to comprehend this, the woman with the knife, she looked capable and ready….and that scared him! "Alice?" he asked hesitantly.

"I'm doing this Danny then she'll be gone and the kids will be safe!" still not looking at him.

He removed the handcuffs from his pocket. "Let the police handle it, don't do this." he told her softly, his eyes unsure, full of fear that the expression which was firmly fixed onto her face.

"The police!" she shouted. "What can they do? They didn't do anything when Lauren was taken! NO This ends now!" her hand regaining the tight grip on the knife.

"You're right Alice, the police can't keep me confined." Emma told her reasonably. "I'll get out then Lily and Lauren, or even their kids….."

"Don't listen to her Alice, look at me…."

"NO! Look at what she did to our family!" She shouted her hand twitching.

"Don't let her take this from you too, Alice please," he begged. "What would Lily and Lauren think?"

"Lauren would do it too. Lauren tried to." she added snidely an evil smile snaking across her face.

"Shut up, don't say her name …." Alice warned.

"Where is Lauren?" Emma asked innocently.

"Safe!" Danny told her, then approached Alice slowly. "Sweetheart put the knife down ok?"

"You sure she's safe?" Emma asked. "Why not ring her?"

"Emma…." Alice warned.

"Ring her." Emma insisted.

Alice steeled herself and looked at Danny and she nodded, he pulled out his phone, hoping that Emma was stalling for time.

"Awww so sweet, all loved up again." Emma sneered.

"NO! The break up was staged, we needed Lauren on side, nothing least of all you could split us up!" it had worked far better than they had hoped.

Emma laughed. "So it's clear that I wasn't the only one planning?"

Danny spoke quickly. "Mara said Lauren is asleep in bed." Danny told Alice pressing disconnect.

"Ring HER!" Emma said then carried on. "Everything I did today was planned. I knew Lauren would go back to you from London, I pretended to her that she had to come back to me but I knew she'd be caught. I knew she'd end up loving you and….."

On cue a ringing came from Emma's pocket. Danny looked at Alice concerned then knelt down and took Laurens phone from Emma's pocket. "Dad" flashing on the screen.

"How do you have her phone?" Danny asked.

"She's so much like you Alice." Emma merely said.

"How do you…." Alice raged.

"I called her to meet me in the surgery."

Danny stomach dropped. "Liar! She's at Mara!"

"You don't know that for sure, but if you need proof just look at the thing in your hand Alice…."

Alice moved the knife and saw the blade was covered in dried red blood. She dropped it in shock.

"Not mine Alice." Emma was now laughing hysterically. "Not yours, same blood type as him."

Alice vaulted off her.

"If I couldn't get you Alice, at least I got one of your daughters, and I've been wanted to kill her since I took her!"

Alice missed that line, she was scrambling towards the door and almost broke the dead lock in her haste to open it. She then ran down to the surgery.

Danny dragged Emma to the radiator and handcuffed her to it. "If you've hurt my daughter I'll kill you myself!" he promised then he followed Alice out of the door.

While Danny did that Alice had already reached the surgery door, she burst inside and everything looked normal…..until she saw the cupboard where they kept the bandages open, its contents spilling on the floor. A trail of blood leading from the middle of the floor towards the office and inside, a small figure curled up tightly, her hand resting limply over a picture of the four of them.

**A/N SO Alice is not dead but Lauren...**


	27. Baby of Mine

**RECAP - Emma took Lauren again and then shot Alice, Alice remained home and 'died' unbeknown to everyone Alice was wearing a bullet-proof vest and wasn't dead, Emma arrived at the house and Alice managed to apprehend her but Emma told her Lauren was hurt in the surgery…**

_That Morning_

Lauren lay on a bed in Mara watching the clouds float by out of the bedroom window, the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day but she was finding it hard to appreciate it. She had never lost anyone before so had no idea how to make herself feel better…..then again she was the one who had experience of being lost, funny how she thought of that, that's kind of how she felt, lost, adrift.

She wished she had brought her guitar with her, maybe if she had something to do she'd feel better. What she really wanted to do was spend time with her sister but Lily was avoiding her for some reason, she had no idea why. Now she was alone in her bedroom at Mara wishing that she could rewind time. If she could she'd go back twenty four hours and put a gun by her bed and kill Emma. If she could rewind time she'd make sure she never left her mums side at the beach that day. If she could she would…what? Her mind challenged, nothing, you can't go back and you lying here changes nothing, your mum is still dead and there is nothing you can do about it! A reminder that she would never see her mum again caused a lump to lodge in her throat so tight it was painful.

"I'll get her for doing this to you mum." Lauren promised softly. "If it takes the rest of my life I'll get her!" forcing the lump back.

After swiping a few stray tears away she rose from her bed and decided to have a wander around the resort, after checking her bandages were tight she headed for the door. After leaving she came face to face with Lily. Her eyes were red rimmed and her body was slouched as she walked. Lily looked up and halted, and that was how they remained, staring neither knowing what to say. Lily headed towards her and into the room.

"You want some company?" Lauren asked. "Or you going to sleep?"

"I'm getting my stuff." Lily said woodenly nodding towards the bed.

Lauren frowned. "Why? We going home?"

Lily had turned away and flinched as Lauren said the final word. "No." she hissed and inhaled sharply. "I want my own room, my own space." she finished calmly.

Lauren was confused, she turned and put her hand on Lily's arm. "Lil's….."

Lily spun quickly and removed her arm, eyes flashing heatedly. "Don't call me that! MUM calls me that!"

Laurens jaw dropped.

Lily was breathing heavily. "I don't want to be anywhere near you!" she yelled her eyes glistening with tears.

Lauren took a step back stunned.

"This is your fault!" Lily carried on. "Mum would still be here if you'd have just stayed gone! Now she's….." Lily closed her eyes a moment and swallowed, then she reopened them and Lauren could see the hatred. "Leave me and dad alone." Lily warned coldly. "He's all I have left and I won't lose him too! As far as I am concerned Lauren NEVER came back. Emma killed you like she said!"

Almost on cue Laurens phone began to ring. Lily turned her back and began throwing her stuff in bag. Lauren had no desire to stay and listen to Lily list all the ways in which their mums death was her fault so she left the room and pulled out her chortling telephone. She recognised the number, it was the surgery. She picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hello Lauren." a snide voice said happily.

"What do you want?" Lauren hissed.

"What can't I call my favourite person? I just wanted to see how you were feeling this morning, sore, unhappy, grieving. I guess I just wanted to know if you missed mummy yet."

Lauren clenched her jaw. "Why don't you go curl up and die Emma!"

"What? I was expecting a threat from you, Alice really did change you didn't she?"

"Don't mention my mothers name!" she roared and choked back a sob.

Emma heard it. "Tears? there there poor baby…."

Lauren tightened a fist and resisted the urge to hit something.

"Anyway I'll cut to the chase." Emma told her feigning kindness. "Aren't you wondering why I'm calling off the surgery telephone?" she paused a second allowing the information to sink into Lauren's brain. "Well I thought I'd be generous and give you the chance to avenge your mothers death and save the life of your sister, I have BIG plans for her!"

Lauren saw people around her staring at the array of bruises on her face, she moved out of the hotel area, past the reception and the pool to a quiet area.

"How I about I just send the police your way?" Lauren asked coldly.

Emma laughed. "If you do then I deserve to be arrested, I taught you better than that! Retribution not justice! If I get arrested then how do you get the satisfaction of knowing your mothers killer got what she deserved? You're me now Lauren, I took your mum like Alice took my dad, I stopped at nothing….will you?"

"I'm not you!" Lauren hissed.

"Really? I remember how much you hated Alice, I remember how you used to talk about the ways you'd hurt her, you have the chance to do everything you wanted to do to her to me…."

"FUCK YOU!" Lauren hissed, remembering those times too and hating it.

"C'mon Lauren, give it a chance. Here's your chance for revenge. Just think you'll be able tot ell lily that you were the one who saved her, who made sure I didn't get away with it!

"N….."

"Well if you're scared…."Lauren hissed a reply.

"I'll tell you what' I'll even the odds a little. I'll leave the gun outside. Do it for your mum Lauren." Emma told her convincingly. "I'll be here for thirty minutes and then I go after Lily, your choice."

Lauren clenched her jaw and squeezed her phone tight as Emma disconnected the call. She exhaled and walked from the area towards the resort her mind racing needing to know what to do. She knew if she could speak to her mum she would tell her to stay away, to make sure she kept herself safe…..walking passed the pool she saw a mother and a daughter playing and the grief she held back was once again at the surface, alongside the rage. Maybe if she did this she would feel better, maybe if she did this Lily would feel better and wouldn't blame her anymore…..before she could change her mind she headed for her room, as she passed reception she told the lady there that she was going to sleep in her room and she didn't want to be disturbed. The woman had been told of what happened and looked at her eyes full of sympathy and nodded. Then she headed for her room, dusted off her three quarter trousers and pale pink t-shirt as she left she grabbed a black jacket and tied her hair back in a pony tale her mind focused and her face intense as she planned her attack.

While making the trek to Leopards Den she fine tuned her plan ignoring the voice in her head that this was a bad idea. It took more than thirty minutes to get there but Lauren knew Emma would be waiting for her. She was hot and dusty and as she surveyed the area behind a bush looking for signs of Emma. She peeked out and saw the house to the North of her and the surgery ahead. The house looked all quiet, the door was closed and no truck settled outside. She had to head to the house and get herself a gun from her dad's cupboard, she didn't trust that Emma wouldn't use any advantage she had…..Emma wasn't stupid! She was about to dash up to house when she spotted the gun Emma had promised to leave outside and smiled. Now she didn't have to worry about running to the house, setting off the alarm and alerting Emma to her presence.

She slipped out of the bush and approached the gun soundlessly listening intently for any sign of anyone approaching, she knelt down to pick it up. No one was around it seemed, no sound broke the hush. Lauren headed for the surgery body pounding with adrenaline, the door to the surgery opened with slight nudging from her and she looked inside the room, it was empty. Had Emma left? Lauren wondered. She was about to leave when she was grabbed roughly from behind, an arm around her neck, the smooth blade of a knife rested against her cheek. Lauren struggled but Emma pushed her inside holding her with a relentless grip. Emma kicked the door shut and was running the blade against her skin slowly. "You have no idea how long I have waited for this day." she murmured in her ear softly. "Having to look after you all those years only for you to betray me!"

"Go on then, DO IT!" Lauren hissed trying to yank free. "You're sick, TWISTED!"

Emma laughed. "Maybe so, but I'm winning!" ran the blade down her cheek to her neck slowly, her pulse rate sped up as fear filled her.

"What's the matter Lauren? Scared? Sorry mummy isn't here to save you this time!"

"I'm not sacred of you and I'm not scared of dying either!"

"Why? You think mummy is waiting for you on the other side?"

"You dad isn't! You can bet he is rotting in hell!" Lauren told her then laughed. "You know Emma I wonder why he started to fixate on my mum, is it because you and your mum weren't good enough so he had to look elsewhere."

Emma froze.

"Your poor dad, what a disappointment you must have been, you even took me as a child and couldn't do that right, I love my mum again!" Lauren laughed harder. "Is there anything you don't screw up?"

Emma took her to the operating table and bashed her head doff it as she rested on it Emma was over her their faces close. "I killed your mother, I didn't screw that one up did I?"

Lauren had no reply to that one.

"You know Lauren you're the one who is the screw up! I totally over estimated you. I mean I expected you to put up some sort of a fight, to have some sort of plan. I thought you'd give me a run for my money! I thought this would be hard and yet you fell right into it….oh well…."

"Don't count me out just yet…" and l pretended to lunge for the scalpel on the table. Emma saw it and managed to push the table away it time. Lauren saw her opportunity and dived over the table so it separated them, liding across, flaling on her face. Lauren was on her feet in seconds, straightened up. Both people stared at the other.

"Well done, a mis-direction, now that's the Lauren I taught." Emma told her.

"You'll find I'm full of surprises." and Lauren began to round the table.

"What? No running? I must say I'm proud of you right now."

Lauren stopped a slight way away. "Why run from nothing? You think you can hurt me more than you already have?"

Emma smiled. "Oh Lauren I haven't even got started yet." move swiftly grabbed her hair and pulled her towards her. Lauren drove her elbow in her ribs even thing Emma taught her running through her mind. When Emma hissed in surprise Lauren threw her head in her direction and caught her face and stomped hard on her toes.

Emma swore and released her.

Lauren kneed her in the stomach leaving Emma winded. Emma hit out but Lauren ducked automatically and Emma missed her. Emma was looking at her in shock. Lauren smiled cockily and punched her hard in the face. Emma slid to the floor, Lauren was about to stomp on her head when Emma slid her free leg from under her and Lauren fell. Emma was over her and so they were wrestling, Emma was stronger than Lauren and gained supremacy. Lauren was pinned, sweat from Emma was dripping onto her face and Lauren screamed in rage.

"You made a worthy opponent."

"Not yet." Lauren lifted her leg and threw her sideways. Lauren was on her feet in seconds, Emma was too and unknown to Lauren she had a blade in hand. She grabbed a fistful of Lauren's collar and yanked her towards her. The knife slid though Laurens clothes like butter and Lauren could only stand there in shock. She looked down and saw a metal handle protruding, it was then burning crippling agony began.

"That felt good Lauren, almost as good as killing your mother!" yanked the blade out forcefully. Lauren fell to her hands and knees blacked out for a second struggling to breathe. Blood flowing from her stomach.

"What no cocky retort this time?" Emma hissed picking her up the collar.

Lauren raised her head and looked her in the eye, show no fear, show no fear…. "You think…this hurts?" Lauren asked forcing a grin.

Emma raised her eyebrows. "I knew you'd come you know." Emma told her disregarding her statement.

Lauren was breathing audibly.

"And I knew I'd win. I knew it would come to this…." and plunged the blade into Laurens stomach again pulling it back out right away this time.

Laurens body seemed to loose all consistency and she slid to the floor. Lauren coughed and felt fluid bubble up and leak from her mouth. As Lauren lay face down Emma sat cross legged opposite and rubbed her hair almost affectionately. Laurens vision was becoming blurry and there were lights in front of her eyes.

"Don't worry Lauren I'm here with you….." Emma told her.

Lauren allowed her breathing to slow and she blinked tiredly.

Emma stayed there until Lauren's eyes closed and she stopped breathing. Emma sat and watched her a moment then she heard a truck. She disregarded Lauren and ran to the door. She inched the door open and peeked out, saw a dark haired person get out with what looked like Danny! LILY! She went back to Lauren and removed her phone from her pocket.

"Bye kid." she whispered. Waited at the door a moment, glanced back then left.

When Lauren was sure she was gone she inhaled sharply. "I thought she was never gonna leave!" she groaned. Rolled over and saw the floor covered in blood. "Shit!" she hissed, pressing her hands to the wounds. She was on her hands and knees and crawled to the cupboard where they kept the bandages she reached up and pulled the doors open. She couldn't stay up long though and fell.

Lauren panted through the pain, reached up again and pulled a shelf down. The bandages fell too and she grabbed them and pressed them to her wound. Then she headed for the office to call for help, it took a while, each movement causing more blood to leak and pain to engulf her. After collapsing twice she reached the office and found the radios in pieces on the floor, the phone line cut….Emma must have done it after she phoned her. Tears leaked from Laurens eyes, Emma had truly planned for all of this. She crawled to the desk, pulled herself onto it and grasped the picture of the four of them, smiling at it and lay down on the floor, curled up tight and closed her eyes. With every beat of her heart her blood slowly leaving her body.

* * *

Alice's heart pounded as she stood there immobilised for a moment, Lauren lay there so still….it was when she saw the blood surrounding her that she came to life. She ran to her daughter and knelt down, turned her head gently and saw her pale a faint sheen of sweat on her face. Her skin was clammy to the touch and her eyes were closed. Bandages soggy and dark red were on her stomach. Alice tore open new ones and pressed them down hard praying for some sort of response from Lauren. She didn't move or even whimper in response. Alice grabbed the phone and found it dead, the receiver covered in blood, the radio's all lay in pieces. Alice began to panic knowing at this rate she was going to have to leave her daughter to get help…."Sweetheart." Alice whispered kneeling over here. "Please open your eyes, tell me your still with us." pushed a lock of hair from her face.

The door to the surgery opened and she heard rather than saw Danny walk in, he gasped loudly. She looked up at her husband eyes full of tears. "Ring an ambulance!" she ordered. Then moved aside the blood soaked pads and pressed more down. "C'mon Lauren!" she whispered. At that Lauren moved her head a little and moaned softly.

"Lauren!" Alice asked heatedly.

Lauren opened a eye and frowned, "Mum? But you're dead….it isn't supposed to hurt when you die….does it?"

Alice shook her head. "No I'm alive, you're gonna be fine ok."

"Why…why did I get told you….died?" Lauren coughed and blood spluttered down her cheek.

"Sweetheart that isn't important." the sight of the blood almost making her lose control. "We need to keep you calm ok?"

Danny walked in and knelt down took her hand. "Why'd you come here?" he asked softly.

"Emma called me anything I could end it all if I came to the surgery, that she killed my mum and the person she knew would get revenge. I wanted to kill her for mum and make sure Lily was safe." she exhaled. "Guess I messed up." he voice tight with pain.

"No!" Alice told her quickly. "WE messed up, we should have told you I was alright." Alice told her softly stroking her hair.

"I know why you didn't." and Laurens eyes filled with tears. "You still don't trust me."

"No Lauren" Danny began.

"It's true though!" Laurens voice breaking. "If you did then I would have been told, Lily…."

"We didn't tell her either." Alice replied swiftly.

Laurens eyes rolled into the back of her head.

"Danny we have to do something!" Alice panicked. "Please do something!"

"I know we do but Alice she isn't an animal I can't…I don't know how to help her!" his face pale and drawn.

Sirens wailed in the distance and he ran to the door. "It's the police and hopefully the paramedics." he yelled. "I'll tell them where she is ok?"

Alice ignored him as warm blood oozed over her fingers. She clenched her jaw tight finding it harder and harder not to cry. Her daughter was lain here dying and she had never felt so helpless!

"I'm glad I got to meet you." Lauren whispered breathlessly, her breath wheezing. "Even though Emma tried to make me hate you I always like your films, living and loving dangerously is my favourite."

Alice nodded smiling though it hurt. "Mine too, its how I met your dad."

"Would….would you be disappointed if I said I was scared." she asked hesitantly.

Alice inhaled sharply and tears fell of their own volition, Alice allowed them to fall. "No there's nothing wrong with being afraid," and moved so Laurens head was rested across her knee. She ran a hand slowly across her cheek. "I'm here for you." she told her soothingly.

Lauren blinked tiredly. "It's getting dark….in front of my eyes….secrets in shadows…" she murmured absently.

Alice continued to let her hand run down her head. She leant down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "It's ok, don't be afraid I'm….I'm here…you're safe…." more and more tears falling quietly, her heart breaking. She had no idea how she was holding on to composure.

"Lily…."

"Lily is fine." she promised.

"Dad…."

"Your dad too." it occurred to Alice what she had to do, when Lily and Lauren woke after a bad dream she'd sing them off…. And she had just the song…..

Laurens breathing was getting worse and she was struggling when Alice began.

"Baby mine don't you cry." her voice shuddering. "Baby mine dry your eyes. Rest your head close to my heart ne…." her voice faltered. "….never to part. Baby of mine." Alice closed her eyes tightly as Laurens breathing gradually grew slower. "From your head down to your toes, your not much heaven knows but you are so precious to me sweet as can be…." she bowed her head as the surgery was quiet. "Baby of mine," she croaked and pulled Lauren closer bowing her head not wanting to know the truth, not wanting the nightmare to be real.

Danny came running in. "The paramedics are here….." he saw Alice and froze. "Alice?" he breathed his voice deserting him. Paramedics walked in too but Danny knew nothing except his distraught wife and the child which she was cradling. "Alice?" he repeated.

She looked up at him, face full of tears and now he knew what it felt like to have his heart ripped out of his chest.

The paramedics approached Alice and took Lauren from her, Alice found herself acting robotically, she got up and walked towards Danny. She didn't go to him just pushed him out of the way.

"Alice?" he asked again voice croaking.

Alice walked to the operating table and braced her hands against the cold metal, she bowed her head and looked at her reflection in the metal. She saw everything and nothing, her blue eyes wide unfocused…lifeless…. her short black hair hanging…. limp…..lifeless, her skin pale…..lifeless….Laurens quick smile flashed though her mind, the way she played her guitar full of joy, the way she went at everything so intense giving it her all…she was lifeless…..lifeless... Alice suddenly couldn't breathe, her head felt light. Heat so intense flooded her system, her eyes rolled into the back of her head and Danny caught her just before she hit the floor.

**A/N I'm back! Finally all finished after working flat out for far too long and tomorrow i will get to reviewing all of your stories tomorrow!  
Anyway bless poor Alice and Lauren :( this was the plan from the beginning, Lauren was never going to live, she was gonna get her family back then they were gonna lose her (hence the title)  
And finally i have SOOOO many stories on the go right now and i have very little written but i will be putting up a chapter on Opposites Attract next. you all have a chopice after that, (1) this, (2) more Opp Att, (3) darkness falls (4) As one. drop me a line with what one you want x**


	28. Misdirection

**An Unknown Amount of Hours Later**

Alice's head was pounding, she opened her eyes gingerly and could only make out fuzzy mismatched shapes, as her vision cleared slowly she catalogued her surroundings. She was lain down on something soft and the room she occupied was quiet and dark. Trust Danny to do something like that, he was considerate like that. She assumed dusk was falling as the room was filled with a yellow glow from a lamp in the corner.

She blinked once, twice and realised she didn't recognise the room. Her body felt slack and boneless, the room humid. He clothes were different too. Everything that happene before flooded her mind, managing to catch Emma and almost killing her, Lauren being stabbed, Alice singing to her feeling so helpless, and finally her daughter dying in her arms. She closed her eyes as pain shafted through her chest intense and hot. She slowed her breathing opening her eyes when the pain wasn't as intense.

It was then she realised there were no windows in this room, and this white dress? Where did it come from? She didn't recognise it! There was one door in the room which looked heavy. She tried to get up but she felt straps tighten around her wrists. She looked down at them and began to panic, she was being held to the bed! She raised her head.

"What the…." she croaked and yanked the straps hard. "Danny?" she called seeing if he was here with her. He was the last thing she could remember before she passed out.

Silence reigned in the room. She surveyed her surroundings giving them closer inspection and she realised this room wasn't as foreign as she first thought. The bed she lay in, really similar to her and Danny's sleigh bed at home. And the dress she wore, what she could tell was again similar to the wedding dress she wore on her wedding day! And the colour of the walls, well where the lamp was, was a pale pink, the exact colour of her room when she stayed at Leopards Den all those years ago. Ok this mix of past and present was sick and more than a little creepy! Where the hell was she?

"Ah I see sleeping beauty is awake?"

Alice swivelled her head around quickly searching for the person who spoke. He was using some sort of voice distorter so she didn't recognise it but if she saw their face she might recognise them.

"Ah look all you want but you won't see me, see I'm not actually there, well in body, my heart and spirit has always been yours."

Alice yanked at her bounds once again. "Where am I?" she yelled to the disembodied voice that surrounded her.

"Home sweet home." he replied.

"Home is Leopards Den. Home is Danny. Home is my girls…" Girl now, just Lily….again grief pressed down on chest making it hard to breath.

He sighed, "I often wish you would say my name like that, with so much want!" he quieted a second. "But Alice you still don't understand, you were never meant to be with him…." he told her reasonably.

Alice froze, that statement was eerily similar. "Who are you?"

"Oh I'm hurt, you don't know me? You really don't remember me? You're playing!"

"Maybe if you weren't disguising your voice I'd know you!" she retorted.

"I thought you'd know me anywhere, especially after all the gifts I sent you! I've been in your life a very long time, just watching from the sidelines waiting for my chance, for the chance that you'd see me and realise what you mean to me, what I mean to you…."

Alice sat up resting on her elbows pulling her straps taut. "I know who you are pretending to be and I'm telling you it's impossible. HE'S DEAD! So cut out the act and tell me who you are!" she raged. "Or better still LET ME GO!"

"Who am I trying to be then Alice?" he asked coyly.

"Alistair Murphy and I'll tell you what, he burned so much there was barely anything left. He was found in the house he tried to kill me in!"

"How do you know it was him if he was so badly burned?" he asked snidely.

Alice quieted, they hadn't been able to get a formal identification since he had no dental records, I mean they assumed it was him but…..no it had to be him. She was the only once in the house that night apart from him! He'd been crushed by a beam…...still she began to wonder, her once solid theory that he was dead not felt lacking. "It was him!" she finally answered. Then exhaled, "How'd I get here?"

"A little misdirection." she could hear the smile in his voice, "You planned well but you didn't plan for me did you? I knew Emma hadn't killed you. I knew you lived, I knew Emma would screw up and I also knew that Emma would do this."

There was a click in the room and a TV illuminated on the wall. The image showed a sterile white room with machinary, a drip, a ventilator close by and a small figure on a bed.

Alice looked closer. "What?" she gasped.

"Oh can't you see? Lets zoom in shall we?" the picture moved in and the figure enlarged. Alice's heart seemed to lurch in her chest. This wasn't possible! She looked to the left of the figure and saw a heart monitor beeping steadily. Alice felt her eyes fill tears. "How is she here?"

"She is here because I wanted her here, same way I wanted you…..but I can get rid of her as soon as I want." the ventilator in the room was turned off and the heart monitor began to beep rapidly. The person in the bed having difficulty breathing.

"No stop, stop!" Alice begged.

The ventilator was turned back on and the monitor slowed and the alarm stopped shrieking.

"Don't hurt her please, I'll do anything." Alice told him eyes glued to the screen.

"I was hoping you would say that." he told her quickly.

A hatch on the door opened and a white box was pushed inside, the hatch shut and the bounds that held her loosened. Alice pulled freely quickly and rubbed her wrists.

"Go to the box." the voice told her.

Alice did as she was asked, walked over opened it and was looking at blood red lingerie. The exact brand Alistair used to buy her.

"Put it on!" he ordered.

Alice looked at the clothes and then the TV screen, Lauren's bruised face still clearly visible. Her cheeks pink and healthy. How could that be though?

"I saved her for you Alice, as a gesture of good faith. Don't make me kill her!" his voice hissed all around her. It seemed to echo and Alice knew what she had to do. She lifted the silk gown out of the box, her eyes never leaving her child's face. What other choice did she have?

* * *

Danny came to, his eyes seemed to roll in the back of his head and he was lain in something wet, he had no idea what though. He opened his eyes and was looking at a wooden ceiling, in the corner of his eye he saw what he thought were cages but he couldn't tell as his vision was hazy. Ok so it looked like he was on the floor of his surgery. He tried to lift his head but it felt heavy so he catalogued his final thoughts searching his mind for the last thing he remembered. There were police and Emma…..and paramedics and Lauren then Alice…..

"Alice.…" he moaned and turned his head. "Alice….are you ok?" he croaked.

He managed to push himself into a sitting position and barely steadied himself as stars danced in front of his eyes. His body swayed back and forward but he was unaware of it and he seemed to be blinking a lot. The only thought that registered was he had to find Alice….he just had to….she might need help….

He looked in the direction of the office and saw two figures on the floor, they were the paramedics who came to help Lauren but he didn't recognise them, or even acknowlede them, his head felt so very light at the moment. He crawled to his operating table and pulled himself to standing then stumbled towards the door. No sign of Lauren or Alice in here…..he had to find them! He fell on the door and managed to yank it open. The sunlight hit his eyes blinding him, he fell to his knees. Someone put their arm around his shoulder steadying him.

"Alice?" he asked groggily.

"Danny?…..God your covered in blood…. What happened?"

"She's gone." he said. "Their gone."

"It's ok Danny, you'll be ok." Mandy looked at him.

He shook his head, "Their gone."

"Danny do you know who I am?" Mandy asked frantically. She was seriously worried, there was blood pouring from a wound in the back of his head and his words were slurred and could be classed as gibberish. It was almost like he couldn't hear her!

"Alice….. Gone…" he told her barely lucid.

Mandy's heart was pounding. Danny you're gonna be ok." then she turned her head, her arm tightly around Danny's shoulders. "I NEED HELP OVER HERE!" she shouted.

**A/N ok people this chapter here totally unplanned, came out of the blue as i argued with my muse telling him that lauren had to live as the 'original' Lauen in the story was supposed to be evil and i couldn't justify killing this Lauren as i liked her and she was actually nice.  
ANYWAY this chapter is what happens when my brain isn't cluttered with Uni stuff! I quite like where this goes, hope you do too. and bet you weren't expecting it (I hope not coz i wasn't even expecting this and i'm the author lol)**

**Anyway Alice and Lauren are kidnapped, culprit unknown (could it be actually be alistair? Scary stuff!) and Danny is badly hurt! (but bless him he was more worried about Alice)  
How the hell do they get out of this one I wonder? ALL will be revealed! x**


	29. Finding Out

Mandy was pacing in the hallway at the hospital, a harried looking police officer beside her watching her anxiously. "Where are they then?" she repeated. "I mean two people can't just vanish can they or have I missed something?"

"We are following leads and looking…."

"Don't just look!" she snapped. "Do you know who she is? She is Alice Collins. Who has her? Do you have any suspects?"

"Look Miss you will have to calm down or I'll be forced to escort you out of here….."

Mandy snorted at him. "No one escorts me anywhere! If anyone needs me you'll find me with Danny Trevanion, Alice's husband and you better find her before he wakes up as I'm tame compared to him!" then as the police man was dismissed she walked down to Danny's room and entered.

A nurse was tending to Danny's bandaging around his head. She winced and swore softly rubbing her face. She had never been so scared when he fell through the surgery door blood pouring down his face, barely coherent. She'd had a feeling something bad had happened when neither one of them got in contact by the allotted time, so she did the only thing she could, she called the police and got the hell over there half expecting to find Danny and Alice having a few rare moments alone, then she got a call that Lauren wasn't anywhere in the resort and Danny and Alice hadn't called in and everything just went to hell!

As far as she could ascertain police had already been over there and took Emma into custody and paramedics had arrived to take Lauren to hospital, the extent of her injuries Mandy had no idea, and that's all anyone knew. Two hours later Alice and Lauren had just disappeared and Danny was severely hurt. He had a fractured skull, the person who had done this meant business when they hit him. It was a wonder he was alive or had even regained consciousness at all, by rights the blow should have killed him. They had induced a dome to relieve the pressure on his brain. Unfortunately he was the only one who might be able to provide any answers to what went on immediately prior to Alice disappearing as she knew one thing for sure he wouldn't have gave her up without a fight. She walked over to him, the nurse nodding at her then leaving. Mandy exhaled. "C'mon Danny wake up Alice needs you!" she told him seriously. "She needs you more than ever before!" As she chewed her lip wondering what step to take next she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She pulled it out.

She connected the call. "Hello David is everything ok?"

"No auntie Mand its Lily, have you found my dad? Is he ok? Or has Emma got him?"

Mandy restrained the urge to swear. "Lily I'll talk to you when I get home ok?"

"Aunt Mand….." she pleaded but Mandy wouldn't be swayed. I mean how do you tell a kid over the phone that your dad was in a coma possibly never to wake and your mum and sister had just disappeared…..come to think of it how do you tell someone something like that in person? "I thought Corey was taking you to see your horses." if anything was gonna distract this kid it would be that!

"I can't I'm worried about my dad, is he ok?"

Mandy fisted her hand and rubbed her head forcefully. "Look I'm coming home right now, we'll talk soon ok?" she then disconnected the call and looked at Danny's unconscious form. "You better wake up soon, its not just Alice who needs you, Lily and Lauren do too!"

* * *

Alice sat on her bed eyeing the lingerie then looked around and saw no place where she might be able to change without his eyes one her. "You mind giving me some privacy if I'm gonna wear this stuff for you?"

"How will you know if I do?" the voice asked.

"Trust me." she drawled. "I'll know."

"Alice it isn't anything I haven't seen or touched before."

"What?" she asked frowning. So he was an ex of hers? Or what if he was Alistair, he used to watch her and go in her home while she slept, had he actually touched her? A shudder wracked through her body.

"I do intend for you to find out who I am, but the timing is imperative, when you do I hope you'll understand. Until then you'll just have to listen for my clues."

"Look obviously you're an ex of mine right? How long ago are we going back I mean I've been married to Danny for thirteen years and engaged to him two years before that."

"Well there then, its seems you have all the information you need. Work it out."

She ground her teeth together, "All this mysterious shit is seriously pissing me off!"

He laughed. "Go on Alice, show me you care."

Obviously he wasn't going to give her his name so "Privacy?" she snapped. "I'm still a married woman whether you value those vows or not!"

"What if I didn't look? I could avert my eyes or turn my back. I promise I will."

"You must think I'm stupid! You're recording this!"

He laughed again, this time fully. "My my you are clever! Well yes you are right, this is being recorded." he paused. "I must say I'm enjoying our conversations. Are you?"

Alice at this moment in time would rather have her eyes gouged out or her teeth pulled then endure this! She'd rather put up with Danny's…Danny….. What had happened to him? "Did you hurt him badly?" she asked eyes cloudy with pain at the thought of what might have happened to her husband.

"Who?"

"Danny."

"Who said I hurt him at all?" he asked innocently.

"He wouldn't have let you take me any other way, the last thing I remember was passing out, he caught me... Just tell me how bad is he?"

The voice sighed. "He went for a little sleep."

She bit her lip as the implications of his words hit her, "Will he wake up?" tears brimming.

"He might, or he might not, who knows?"

Tears fell before she could stop them.

"Don't cry Alice you still have me, if he is gone then it means we can….."

Rage filled her and she fisted the silk garment in both hands ready to tears it into pieces. Laurens face appeared on the TV screen almost immediately.

"Don't make me hurt her too Alice." he hissed. "Put it on, now before I lose patience."

Alice glared at the TV hoping the camera that was watching her was in that direction, seeing Lauren in the bed gave her an idea. She got up, climbed under the quilt, took off her clothes and put on what he ordered.

"Oh Alice you don't play fair!" he chuckled.

She sat up in the bed still covered. "You haven't seen nothing yet!"

* * *

Mandy was travelling back to Mara wondering what on earth she was supposed to tell Lily. I mean she was going to have to be told everything and Lily, thankfully more like her dad than Alice in temperament, would hit the roof but wouldn't start cracking heads. Now Lauren, what Mandy had seen and heard of her she would declare war on everyone in sight just for the hell of it! She drove through her quiet streets feeling sick wondering what the hell was going on!

"I told you not to do this Alice!" she told the tress passing by. "I told you it was crazy and foolish didn't I? But did you listen to me? NOOOOOOO! Now you have gone and got yourself kidnapped, not only that but Lauren too! Your husband is lain up in hospital, no one knowing if he'll even regain consciousness. Didn't I warn you that someone would get hurt! Why do you NEVER listen to me?" exhaled seeing her home appear in the distance. It killed her that she now had to walk onto that resort and break a child's heart, a child that already had experienced so much loss and upheaval recently. And not only that but she was going to have to apply for custody since Alice was AWOL and Danny was out of action, God knew what the reporters were gonna make of this! They were uncanny when it came to finding in out stuff like this.

"By God you don't do things by half do you Alice?" she shook her head wondering if Lily knew the name of her mothers solicitor, she'd get in touch with him regarding custody. He'd know what to do, Alice had just better get herself home soonish.

* * *

Alice still hadn't moved from the bed a short time later. She kept her whole body covered. It felt wrong wearing something like this knowing a man other than her husband would be looking at her.

"You keeping me in suspense?" the voice asked.

"What do I get if I do parade around in this stuff for you?"

"What, your daughters life isn't enough for you?" he asked obviously irked.

"You're gonna kill her whenever you want, you're gonna use her at every opportunity! If you are willing to let her go…."

"She's seriously ill, doctors are taking care of her here." he answered quickly, obviously rehearsed.

"My husband, or even my best friend will make sure she is taken care of. I mean you turning off her ventilator can't be helping her very much can it?"

"My doctor took her off the ventilator a little while ago and she is holding her own, you should be proud, she's a strong child."

"She had to grow up strong!" Alice shouted and bowed her head. "That had nothing to do with me, all her life….."

"I saved her life." the voice reminded. "She was dead when my people found her. They got her heart beating again and brought her here where I saved her."

"Yeah so you could ensure compliance from me! I'm sick of people using her to hurt me!" she raged. "Hasn't she went though enough yet? When does she get the chance to be a child instead of a pawn in a never ending game!"

The voice was silent.

"Please just send her to Danny, she's just a child."

"I can't." he told her seriously.

"Then let me see her, she needs me!" she begged.

Again the voice was silent.

Alice bowed her head and exhaled. "You said you saved her life, what did you do?"

"When my people found her she had a collapsed lung, a perforated diaphragm and she wasn't breathing. They ventilated her and brought her here where my surgeons worked. She was also given a blood transfusion. She had the same blood type as me surprisingly."

Alice nodded. "Thank you." she said grudgingly bur then asked the question which haunted her, "Why go to all this trouble for a child which isn't yours? Why do you even care?"

"Because she should have been mine." he admitted. "They both should have. If they had what happened to Lauren would never have happened."

"Why aren't they yours? I mean why didn't we hit it off?" she asked searching for a clue to his identity.

"Alice you can't expect me to tell you my identity just yet." he asked coyly.

"I've acted with you haven't I? You have money, this set up is too elaborate for someone who hasn't got money behind them!"

"Yes you know me, and we have even shared a kiss or two." he avoided the acting question.

Alice's mind ran through every kiss she had shared, romantically and on screen. Due to her career the list was rather long and really no help at all. "How long have I been here?"

"Can't tell you that, sorry." he sounded genuinely apologetic.

"What about Danny? Can you at least tell me if he is ok?"

"Alice we are having a perfectly pleasant conversation, why bring him into it?"

Alice exhaled knowing she would find out nothing about Danny until he was ready. "Lauren then?" she asked. "I need to see her!"

"If I allow you…."

"I'll behave." she promised.

"That's what you said before."

"She needs her mum!" she begged. "Just five minutes, one minute. I need to see my child!"

"We'll see."

* * *

Lily say on the sofa watching a TV show at Mara, she used the word watching although she was far too distracted to be able to take in what was happening. Nothing felt quite right! I mean here was this big threat to their family and her dad had just disappeared and left her to fend for herself and her mums death hadn't been advertised either, I mean they wanted to keep it quiet as long as possible but c'mon people were gonna find out eventually! It wasn't that she was looking forward to the publicity that brought, having camera shoved in your face when you were crying was unpleasant but…she shook her head, it just didn't feel right.

The main thing right now was that something major was going on with her dad and Lauren. Lauren hadn't come home last night and her twin radar was screaming that something was wrong. Out of the blue she'd has this massive feeling like she couldn't breathe, it was like someone had punched her in the chest repeatedly and she was winded. For a moment she had actually thought she was having a heart attack the pain was that intense, it stayed for ages and Lily was about ready for Mandy to take her to hospital for a chest scan or something that out of no where it began to ease.

She had been wrong to blame Lauren for what happened to their mother, it was no ones fault except that sick freak Emma, I mean wasn't taking Lauren away from them all those years enough? What had they done that was so bad?

She picked up the remote and changed the channel, the antics of the people on screen more irritating then humorous, all she wanted was to see her dad and Lauren, find out if Lauren had that pain in her chest too. She didn't know how but she knew it had been a twin thing and maybe if they knew more about each other then she would know what it had been. But no one was telling her where they were. What had probably happened was that Lauren had ran away in a fit of rage and her dad was finding her. When Mandy came back she'd ask to help, she really needed to make up with her sister, it just didn't sit right with her them not speaking especially as they both knew how quickly someone could be taken away. As if on cue her Auntie Mandy walked into the room obviously stressed out. Her eyes were red rimmed like she had been crying and she clutched her mobile phone in her hand.

"Don't worry Auntie Mandy they'll find her." Lily assured.

Mandy was taken aback, head whipping round to look at her. "They'll find her?" she squeaked. "You mean you know what's happened?"

Lily nodded. "It wasn't that hard to work out to be honest."

Mandy's face was pure confusion. "Is it?"

"And I know everything will work itself out and be alright."

Mandy scrubbed her face with her hands, "Lily what do you think you know?"

"Well Lauren has ran away and dad has went to find her right?"

Mandy closed her eyes and squeezed the bridge of her nose, 'Thanks for leaving this to me Alice' she said silently and sighed wishing that Lauren running away was all they had to deal with, that would be easy! "No Lily, Lauren hasn't ran away and your dad hasn't gone to find her."

She shrugged then rubbed her head. "Where are they then?"

Mandy closed the door then walked to the sofa and sat opposite her, "Look everything that has been said to you has been to keep you safe, both you and Lauren. You have to remember that!"

Lily frowned. "I don't understand."

"Your mum isn't dead."

"What!" she demanded. "I saw….."

"It was all a set up..." Mandy began.

Lily began to shakeher head.

"Your mum is an actress sweetie, she gets paid well for what she does. It was all a plan to lure Emma out in the open. You and Lauren would never have been safe otherwise."

"Where is mum then? Is she with dad and Lauren? Why am I here alone without them?"

Coz this kid had more sense then the three of them put together, she obviously couldn't tell her niece that though, especially due to the circumstances! "Lily no one knows where your mum is, she had disappeared along with Lauren and Lauren….." she covered her face with her hand. She'd had a phone call before coming in here regarding Lauren. There'd been too much blood in the surgery, and it had been Lauren's, she couldn't possibly have survived after losing so much.

"Auntie Mand?" Lily asked her blues eyes so like her mothers wide and unsure.

"Um….nothing." she croaked. "They're both lost." she coughed to clear her throat.

"What about my dad? Is he gone too? Or looking for them?"

Mandy heard the hope in her voice and hated to break her heart but she had to tell her the truth. She shook her head slowly. "He's in hospital sweetie, badly injured."

Lily stared at her brows furrowed like she couldn't take it all in, she began to shook her head slowly, it grew in force and speed. "I don't believe you!" she shouted standing up. "First you tell me my mum is alive when I know she wouldn't lie to me and hurt me like that, now you tell me mum and Lauren is missing! None of this is making any sense!" she shouted. "And my dad..." Lily let out a breath and it sounded like a sob, then she bent double knowing somehow that all this was true. She felt it.

She panted calming herself then looked at Mandy, "Laurens in serious trouble huh?"

She saw Mandy gearing up to lie and cut her off. "I know it, I haven't felt right, I had this feeling like I couldn't breath and now I feel weird, something feels off. Tell me!"

"Lily I can't….."

"TELL ME!" she raged. "This is my family!"

Mandy exhaled and shook her head. "Your dad was found in the surgery covered in blood,"

Lily's eyes widened.

"We went in and there was blood everywhere…."

"It was dad's right?"

Mandy shook her head. "I just had a phone call….."

Lily slumped back in the chair face ashen. "Lauren." A statement not a question.

Mandy nodded. "There was too much there for her….."

Lily closed her eyes and rested her head on her steepled fingers. "And my dad?"

"No one knows, he's in a coma he could come out of it any time."

A muscle was ticking in Lily's jaw, evidence of her anger and frustration. "I want to see him!"

Mandy nodded. "I knew you would, there's a car waiting outside."

Lily stood up and headed for the door. "Mum and Lauren?" she asked when Mandy joined her side.

"Everyone is working hard to find out where they are." Mandy told her opening the door.

"I want to talk to Emma." Lily said stonily.

Many immediately closed the door. "What?"

"Do you honestly believe that she isn't anything to do with this?"

"Lily my main priority is keeping you safe until your dad is better and your mum and Lauren are home,"

"Yeah and who says they will come home alive!" Lily shouted "And dad? Who says he'll come out of this coma? I need to find mum and Lauren! If I talk to Emma she'll gloat to me, I'll pretend to be upset, the more upset I get the more she'll tell…. "

Mandy couldn't argue with her logic but still she shook her head.

"This isn't your choice!" Lily shouted losing her temper.

Mandy cupped her face and looked her dead in the eye, face fierce. "At this moment in time you could be all that is left of them and their legacy!" Mandy told her passionately. "I refuse to let anything happen to you! It's the one and only thing I can do for your mum and dad right now!" then Mandy closed her eyes and lowered her hands. "Now lets go and see your dad ok?"

Lily finally realised that Mandy was her mums best friend and that this had to be killing her. They left the room in silence and climbed in a car both lost in their own thoughts. Lily finally broke it, Mandy wished she hadn't as soon as Lily spoke. "Help me or I'll find someone who will….."

Mandy ground her teeth together, kid was a stubborn as her mother! "We'll see."

* * *

All was silent in Alice's room and been so for what felt like hours. Without nothing to do to occupy her time she wanted to climb the walls, except she was still wearing that horrible red crap for him and she wasn't letting him see her until she was ready…..and she was still holding out for some sort of rescue. Since Danny was out of action Mandy would sort something, that was if Mandy knew she was gone yet. Had they found Danny? Was he alive? Thoughts like that were counterproductive and made her want to curl into a ball and cry so she pushed the thought of her husband broken and bleeding to the recesses of her mind and tried to concoct some sort of escape plan… she had zippo! How the hell do you get out of a locked room where the only entrance was a door which was locked on the other side? No windows? I mean he literally had her right where he wanted her!

Wthout warning the letterbox opened on the door and a box was pushed in, before Alice could sit up it was closed again.

"There's clothes and a blindfold in there, put them on." the voice told her.

"Why?" Alice asked.

"You want to see her don't you."

Alice didn't have to ask him to elaborate, she ran over to the door and opened up the box to find a pairof jeans and a red jumper.

"Red looks really good on you." he purred.

Alice had momentarily forgot she was wearing the lingerie he gave her and felt disgust fill her, it was almost like he could feel her eyes as they roved over her body. She pushed it back and focused on the chance she was getting, to see her little girl. "How are we doing this?" she asked eagerly pulling the jumper on over the lingerie.

"Oh Alice you tease!" he chided softly. "The wait will make it all the sweeter I suppose….." he was silent a moment. "How long did you wait with Danny I wonder. He got you pregnant on your wedding night didn't he?"

Alice froze. "How do you know that?"

"It was publicised."

Alice exhaled, she and Danny had no privacy at all!

"Well Alice, how long did he and you wait?" he enquired.

She shook her head. "I'm no discussing that with you!" she snapped. "I'm not mentioning Danny until you at least tell me if he is ok!"

"C'mon Alice, you can talk to me, you have to trust me some time."

"Is he alive?" she challenged forcing her voice to remain steady.

"I'm not discussing that with you." he parroted.

She pulled on her jeans. "Well don't talk to Danny about me!" then she then unhooked the lingerie from her arms and pulled it off from under the jumper. She picked up the black blindfold. "So?"

"Put on the blindfold, lie on the bed and lay your wrists in the straps. I'll fasten them from here then come and get you."

Alice laughed humourlessly. "And I can trust you why? Why put myself back in that position?"

"Because you are in there unhurt and still alive, as is your child. I could have left her to die. I'm not a monster Alice."

"Forgive me if I'm finding that hard to believe, you conveniently forget that you may have killed my husband and don't have the decency to tell me."

"You'd want to know that Alice?" he asked. "Really? Knowing that you are stuck here while he is gone?"

Alice hadn't considered that possibility, what if he was dead? Would she want to know? "At least I'd know." she whispered.

The voice was silent considering, his voice returned full of authority. "Like it or not Alice you are stuck here, you may as well start trusting me sooner rather than later. You'll be much more comfortable when you do. Like I said I am not a monster."

Alice considered her options, well the few she had. Trust him and possibly see her child, defy him and be stuck here going out of her mind…. "If I do this you'll take me to Lauren?"

"You have my word."

Alice sighed knowing the decision was well and truly out of her hands, she sat on the bed and put on the blindfold, lay down placing her arms carefully where she knew the straps were. "Tell me when Lauren is better what do you intend on doing with her?" she asked.

There was a mechanical whirl and the straps tightened around her wrists.

Minutes passed with no reply, then from thin air, "That Alice depends on you." a soft voice whispered beside her face. Then she was jabbed in the arm with a needle.

"What?" she yelped as her arm began to tingle. Almost immeidatly she felt the sensation of the bed spinning and then she was free falling through the air. "You gave me your word." she hissed.

"Ah my little superstar, hush just let it take you."

Drowsiness was overcoming her. "Superstar…" she whispered. In the beginning Danny used to call her that…a veil of blackness fell and took her. She succumbed fighting it until the last second.

**A/N this was really long and felt a little bleh tbh but here it is,  
ANYWAY Danny is in a coma Alice is strapped to a bed drugged to the eyeballs Lauren is out of it and Lily is now demanding to see Emma, oh what a twisted web...best get to fixing this...any guesses on who 'The Voice' is? could it possibly be Alistair? Keep reading to find out x**


	30. A Visit

Mandy had brought Lily to the hospital and now they sat in the hospital, Lily opposite her dads bed was filled with an enormous sense of being useless. Her mum and twin were missing and her dad was unconscious and she was sat here doing nothing! She shook her head, it was surprising how funny life could be, six months ago had her mum disappeared and her dad almost died she would have been majorly freaking out and now she sat here like all this stuff was normal. Then again how often did long lost sisters turn up and her mum faking her own death not to mention all this Emma business... maybe this was her normal now and maybe she was gonna be one of those famous peoples kids who were screwed up, just look at Lindsey Lohan!

What she couldn't wortk out was why them? Lauren couldn't have just been a random kidnapping like she thought all along! If it was so random then why did Emma hurt Lauren so much? And why want her back so badly? This all just made no sense, like a piece of missing or something and when she had that piece it would all slot into place.

"What's on your mind kiddo?" Mandy asked seeing the troubled frown upon her face.

"Is there something about all this that I don't know? I'm sat here trying to work this all out and it feels like there is something massive which is stopping that from happening! It just doesn't make sense."

"Psychopaths rarely do Lil's."

"I know, I know." she agreed. "But….look I'm not disrespecting Lauren but why is she so important for Emma to go to all these lengths?"

"It's not Lauren personally it's what she symbolises. What you both symbolise."

Lily was confused. "Which is?"

"How much your mum and dad love each other." Mandy told her. "It hasn't been plain sailing for them…."

"Dad said." Lily murmured not fully understanding Mandy's meaning.

Mandy knew that lily had no idea of the full extent so remained silent on that matter, "Well you understand how far your mum and dad have come from those early days. There is a fine line between love and hate." Mandy knew Alice had intimate knowledge of that too. Alistair had claimed to love her beyond everything, beyond his own family, beyond his own life and had been convinced that the only way for him to prove that and for them to be happy was a murder suicide!

"I still don't understand." Lily told her.

"You think this is about Lauren, it's not it's about your parents. Most specifically your mum. Ghosts from her past are resurfacing. Ghosts we thought were long gone."

"Why Lauren then? Why not me?"

Mandy sat back in her seat crossing her arms. "That's the question isn't it? Opportunity maybe? If I remember correctly Lauren used to stick close to your dad back then." she rubbed her chin. "If anything it was you who used to run off all the time." Mandy shook her head. "Could be luck depending on the way you look at it."

Lily bowed her head. "Do you think Lauren blames me?"

Mandy made a gesture of unknown. "She was taken so young, maybe she has some resentment. I don't think so though, she loves you and I think she understands that it was something out of everyone's control."

"I wonder sometimes." Lily was quiet. "I blamed her you know."

"For what?"

"Mum dying, I said if she had stayed away Mum would still be here, I told her to leave dad alone as he was all I had left."

Mandy exhaled. "Oh Lil's you have no idea how much like your mum you are."

Lily chewed on her lip. "Will they come home? Will dad get better? Everything is so messed up and I feel like I can't do anything to help!"

Mandy went to her and enveloped her in a hug. "No matter what happens you'll be fine ok?"

Lily sniffed and clung to her aunt.

* * *

Alice clenched her eyes shut as conscious yanked her from a peaceful reverie. Whilst unconcious it was easy to pretend that she was home with her husband and daughters and that everything was just a bad dream. She couldn't live like this forever though, her muscles felt stiff due to inactivity so she peeked one eye open wishing that she would be looking at her bedroom ceiling, her hopes were dashed when she was looking at a unfamiliar tiled white ceiling…..tiled…..the other room she occupied had been painted…..she'd been moved! Alice opened her eyes and saw a bed across the room. She bounded up but her body obviously stationary for a long time crumbled beneath her and she fell.

"Careful now my dear." the disjointed voice said.

Alice ignored it and hobbled over to Laurens bed, her daughter lay there still but alive, her skin warm and a healthy pink so unlike the grey pallor from before. "Lauren sweetheart." put her hand on her cheek. "C'mon wake up for me." she said and kissed the top of her head, tears falling uncontrollably. "Oh sweetheart I'm so glad your ok!" her hand running slowly down her cheek.

"You're welcome." the voice said smugly.

"Send her home please." Alice requested.

"I was thinking of leaving her with you, a companion of sorts."

Alice swallowed hard. "She deserves a life, she won't get that here."

"I gave Lauren her life back Alice, that is a gift!" he told her an angry edge to his voice.

"I know." Alice sniffed and wiped her eyes. "But she has dreams, friends, her twin, school. She has so much potential."

"I could bring Lily." he suggested. "You can have who you want."

"No!" Alice yelped dreading the thought of both her daughters here. "No one!"

"Have I not treated you respectfully Alice? Do I not take care of not only but you Lauren too?"

Alice sat on the edge of her daughters bed. "Regardless of that I am still a prisoner, you say Lily and Lauren should have been your children imagine if they were. Would you want that for them? Locked in a single room, no school, no life, just the same four walls?"

The voice was silent.

Alice didn't say another word either. Just spoke to her little girl, apologising for everything she'd been through just because her parents decided they loved each other and decided to make her.

"Will she ever wake up?" Alice asked, rubbing her daughters forehead.

"I imagine so." the voice replied. "I'm keeping her sedated at the moment."

"Why?"

"Well I could say it is because the doctor told me she needs plenty of rest to heal but would you believe me?"

Alice exhaled looking at her child. "I don't want her hurt anymore, she's been through so much already and it isn't fair." ran a hand slowly down her cheek.

"Tell me what's on your mind." he requested.

Alice clenched her teeth, her eyes fixed on Laurens face.

"Alice….."

"I hate that people use her to hurt me!" exploded from her, her chest heaving. "Doesn't anyone realise she is only twelve! Too bloody young to put up with the all the crap!" swallowed the emotion filling her. "Is it so wrong that all I want for her and Lily is a normal life? A stable upbringing. I didn't ever imagine this! Kidnapped, stabbed, killed for gods sake! I'm her mother and I brought her into the world to endure that? NO! I didn't sign on to that!" her face full of pain she lowered her head and pressed a soft kiss to Laurens head. "I'm so sorry sweetheart."

"Put your blindfold back on." he ordered.

"So after all that all I get is five minutes?" she seethed.

"No, I'll wake her up to talk to you then I'll send her home BUT if I do that then you do what I say when I say no arguments. If you do then next time I'll take both of them and I'll kill them in front of you!"

Alice nodded. "Ok." she sat down on her bed meekly put the blindfold back on and lay back on the bed, once again she was strapped down only this time moments later she heard someone enter the room there was rustling and Laurens heart monitor began to speed up a little. The person left and Alice's straps loosened.

She tore off her blindfold and went to Lauren. "Lauren can you hear me sweetheart?" Alice asked hand on her cheek.

Lauren slept on but Alice noted that her breathing was so much more natural and deep, like she was sleeping. Alice let her be until she began to stir on her own. Alice sat up straighter. "Lauren?"

Lauren moved her head to the left, swallowed wincing then opened her eyes a crack. "Mum?" she croaked, voice low and drowsy. "Where am I?"

"It's ok Lauren, just be quiet, don't talk you're gonna be just fine." leant over and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Mmm hmmm." Lauren sighed tiredly.

"Next time you wake up hopefully you'll see Lily and your dad, tell them I love them both so much ok."

Lauren nodded tiredly.

"Lauren open your eyes for me please."

It took her a few attempts but she did as her mother asked.

"I love you too ok, more than anything and nothing bad will ever happen to you again."

"Love you too mum." Lauren yawned. "What happened? I remember….the surgery and Emma…"

Alice shook her head. "Nothing happened, don't worry about anything, it's ok just go back to sleep."

Lauren nodded and Alice gave her a last kiss. When she was asleep again Alice spoke. "What are you going to do with her?" held her child's hand tightly.

"My doctors will monitor her and as soon as she's well enough I'll make sure she gets to a hospital."

A tear slipped down her cheek slowly.

"Why the tears?" the voice asked. "Doesn't that make you happy?"

Alice sighed. "You don't understand." her voice softer this time. "I am happy."

**A/N Filler really, just a quick update, for tonight, can't believe i'm busier now than before i finsihed Uni, WOW.  
Anyway looks like Lauren could be on her way home, but Alice promised to cooperate, UH OH and she still has no news on Danny...and no idea who the man is...**


	31. Anger and Misery

Lily paced in her room at Mara feeling more and more redundant as time passed. She had been here for 5 nights so far and they were no closer to finding her mum or Lauren, her twin radar was driving her crazy, most of last week she had been trying to tap into it to get some sort of idea on where her mum and sister might be and she got sod all and now, it was like there was an alarm inside her and it was ringing like mad making her edgy, almost like a spring ready to pop and the worst part of it all was that she still had no idea where they were!

Lauren was alive, she knew that much, don't get her wrong Lauren was ill or at least had been seriously ill. She just hadn't felt right, she'd been all out of kilter and had originally attributed it to her mothers death, she soon realised that the feeling came on about two hours after her argument with Lauren and hadn't went away after finding out that her mother was in fact alive. It was only recently it was starting to fade so wherever Lauren was someone was taking care of her…..she also figured that Lauren's location had to be pretty close, all those years ago she couldn't remember having these feelings about Lauren and their bond then had been stronger so for to be picking up on these vibes Lauren was at least still in the country…..and that meant close enough to be found.

She had been so much of her time trying to convince her Aunt that she could talk to Emma but Mandy point blank refused to even consider it. Now all she really did was sit in her room at Mara with a guard outside her door because school wasn't safe, the stables weren't safe either. Nothing was safe except being babysat and the same four walls were beginning to send her crazy! Without warning said door opened and Mandy appeared.

"C'mon Lily we have to go to hospital."

Lily stood up heart pounding hard. "Is it dad?"

Mandy shook her head and handed her the jacket. "No, Lauren has turned up."

"What about mum?" Lily pulled her jacket on.

Mandy shook her head, took her by the arm and was pulling her to a car.

"How is she? Is she ok?"

"The doctors said she's been operated on extensively!"

"Holy…." Lily whispered. "Is she alive?"

"She's fine. I'll explain on the way."

* * *

Lauren sat in her hospital bed after being scanned and prodded and questioned. She'd had enough of police and hospitals to last her a lifetime. Beyond the hospital were the memories and she didn't want to venture too far into those either, hence her anger about being questioned.

They'd asked her where had she been? She had no idea!  
How did she get back here? How was she supposed to know she woke up here!  
Who had her? Well if they didn't know she certainly didn't, one minute she'd been at home and the next she woke up at hospital…..memories of being at home began to become clearer and she forced them back. It wasn't all clear, but a few were vivid enough and those made her want to throw up. The feeling of being stabbed, the hilt of the knife protruding from her chest was something she'd never forget! She vaguely remembered her mum singing to her, it was weird though, it had been like from a distance, like her mum was across the room, kind of distant and low.

Her eyes closed as her mind closed in on the final thought and refused to let go, she died, or she had been pretty sure she had. All this angels and pearly gates stuff was all crap, it hasd been dark and cold. What really worried her was that her potential death didn't phase her in the slightest, she just felt indifferent to it, it made no difference that she survived, she wouldn't have known so what did it matter?

Someone, as much as she could gather from the nurses gossiping while she pretended to be asleep, had operated on her and saved her life. It hadn't been at hospital but had been a professional job, weird! She glanced at the door and saw a man through the glass guarding it and a woman inside sat by the door flicking through a magazine, she must have realised Lauren was looking at her because she glanced up and smiled good naturedly. Lauren had no reason to smile back, no one had said a word about her mum or dad or even Lily.

She remembered nothing after being stabbed, well apart from her mum saying she loved her…. She couldn't even be sure it hadn't been a dream. Something felt off though and her instincts were telling her that something was badly wrong. She was being lied to as well and she didn't like it. No one gave her a straight answer when she asked for her dad, well except to tell her that Emma had been arrested and she didn't have to worry about her anymore. To be honest she wasn't all that sure that Emma was behind all this, it just didn't add up. She had been pondering it for a while as it was the only option available, she was sitting in this bed bored the doctors not allowing her do a thing until they examined he injuries fully. So she was counting all the reasons why she was angry and things just began connecting on its own. Memories that she hadn't known she had collected over the years just adding together, snippets of sentences that meant nothing now had meaning and she wasn't liking where they were going, if she was right then the lot of them were in a whole heap of trouble!

The door opened at that moment halting her train of thought, Lily and Mandy entered. To be honest Lauren wasn't feeling all that accommodating with Lily at the moment so when she strode in and went to hug her Lauren halted her sister with a look. "I wouldn't." her voice raspy. "I'm in no mood." then she faced Mandy. "What aren't I being told?"

"Lauren…." Mandy started, the kid had been awake all of five minutes!

"Don't try and placate me by lying, I want to know." Laurens voice was like stone.

"Mum's missing." Lily told her. "And dad has been badly hurt and is in a coma."

Lauren nodded, she had expected as much, well to be honest she had been expecting worse, they were both alive…sort of. "How long has this been going on?"

"6 days." Mandy told her grudgingly, knowing Lily would only tell her if she didn't.

"And is that how long I was gone too?"

Mandy nodded.

Lauren was frowning. "This has Emma written all over it you know." she murmured to herself. "I know she's been arrested though and I want to see her!"

Lily looked at Mandy raised her head cockily and smiled triumphantly.

"NO!" she told Lily who scowled. Then Mandy turned to Lauren. "This isn't Emma, that much we know for sure!"

Lauren bowed her head lost in thought, just as Lily was about to ask her what was up Lauren began to speak, forcefully. "Thing is with Emma right, she claimed we were poor, I mean GOD we were most of the time but she always had plenty of money, she never worked and it was far too much to be claiming from benefits."

"So?" Mandy asked.

"So where'd she get it? The police wouldn't know about this as it wasn't done by bank account, always cash. This goes way back. Past me being taken, past us being born, probably past mum meeting dad. Someone in mums past has been in the shadows a long time and now I think he's shown himself and mum is in deep trouble!" Lauren read the look of incredulity on her aunts face and carried on. "I've been sat here thinking that all of this had been very convenient and maybe it was! How did Alistair always know exactly where mum was? How did he get her phone number every time she changed it? He was barely working class yet her managed to keep track her pretty damn well, and not only that but buy her expensive stuff too?"

"Who's Alistair?" Lily asked.

Lauren ignored her. "Maybe he was a cover! Maybe something went wrong years ago in some way. Maybe mums real stalker is alive and well out and there and has been biding his time for the right moment!"

"Mum has a stalker?" Lily squeaked. "Since when?"

"Lauren…." Mandy began ready to brush her off but Lauren cut her off.

"NO! Don't tell me I'm crazy, I lived it! I heard stuff, little ears and all that! I know I'm right. Mum is in trouble and she needs us. If I was older would you listen? Just coz I'm 12 doesn't make me stupid!"

"Tell this to the police, they can look into it."

"And if this man has mum?" Lauren asked. "While they are looking into it God knows what he is doing to her!" Lauren scowled. "I want to see Emma, NOW!"

Mandy had seen the very expression on Laurens face on Alice's many times and she knew there was no budging her friend when she was like this so she had less chance with Lauren. "No way! No way no how!" Mandy still told her their safety was still her priority.

"She can lead us right to him!" Lauren protested.

"Let the police….."

"I will find a way to talk to her, this is our mum. Lily tell her!" Lauren looked to Lily for back up but Lily sick of being ignored was in no mood to be gracious. She was scowling. "What the HELL are you two talking about? Stalkers and someone called Alistair! What haven't I been told?"

"For gods sake!" Lauren exploded. "Don't make this all about you Lily! Mum needs us now are you going to help me or not? Coz one way or another I'm doing this." she told Mandy. "She never gave up hope they'd find me so I'm not giving up now. I've got seven years on information piecing together in my head. I have probably seen the man and….." Lauren shook her head. "I can't believe I'm saying this but we NEED Emma! She is our link to him. Do we really have a hope getting mum back without her? Really? Guess what. The police didn't find me! The person who has mum has planned this for God knows how long and I won't give up! She is all we have!"

Mandy stared at Lauren open mouthed, "Holy hell Lauren you're fricking terrifying!"

"You'll help me then?" Refusing to be deterred.

Mandy shrugged. "We'll talk to the police but I'm not promising anything."

* * *

Alice felt like she'd been in this room for months, she had no windows, no clock, no possible way of knowing the passage of time. The only sound she heard apart from HIM was the whine of a fan which no doubt pumped air into the room. That fact made her consider whether she was actually underground, which of course made her freak out thinking this rather large room could actually be considered as her grave!

Since her visit with Lauren she hadn't seen another living soul and to be honest she was sick of her life and totally disgusted . The voice sent her clothes to wear and threatened the life of her kids if she didn't comply, what creeped her out the most was that some of the clothes resembled the ones she'd wore in previous roles, she really wished she hadn't realised that as it again set her wondering what was going through his mind….like whether he would eventually want a physical relationship with her, that she couldn't handle, she could cope with a lot but that? She closed her eyes and calmed her breathing before another panic attack set it, she seemed to have to do this a few times a day as of late.

"You there?" she asked the voice. Arms pillowed behind her head on the bed pretending to be cavalier.

"Yeah I like watching you it's soothing."

"You should watch my films, you seen any?" she asked.

"Yes, It's why I'm not in there with you, I like watching you on screen, only this way its live!" his voice full of excitement.

Bully for you! She thought. She settled herself with "Oh."

"Lauren is home now. She was well enough to go, I thought you'd like to know. You have seemed a little dejected since your visit."

Alice frowned, was there genuine concern in his voice or was she going a little crazy? Then again being locked in one room didn't exactly do anything for your sanity did it? She sat up quickly as she realised she could find out about her husband. "To Danny?"

"No, I think a friend of yours has legal custody them."

"Cus….custody?" she stuttered suddenly unable to breathe. "What about Danny?"

He was silent a moment almost like he was choosing his words carefully and Alice felt fear fill her body, "What?"

"The people who collected you and brought you here had to incapacitate him to take you, he'd never have let you go willingly, he was hit over the head with a brick."

Alice's body physically jerked, like she herself felt the blow, bile rose, she bit her lip but still tears filled her eyes. "And?" she managed to squeak.

"He was hit too hard Alice." he sounded apologetic.

The tears she bit back began to spill over her lashes uncontrollably, she clenched her fists so hard her nails bit into her palms drawing blood. Her chest was aching, nothing had hurt like this before, it felt like it would never end. She shook her head, "I….I don't….he can't…." unable to even finish the sentence, Danny wasn't dead, he wouldn't do that to her! He'd find a way because that is what he did, he'd never leave her.

"It was in the newspaper yesterday I can bring it to you if you'd like."

Alice pressed her fists to her eyes trying to stem the flow of tears, "No I don't….." she lay back down and pressed the pillow to her face crying quietly trying not to believe what he said. She was still struggling to speak without her sentences coming out fragmented. Her cries were replaced with sobs when she realised that her girls were alone. No mum. No dad.

"Don't cry Alice, I'm sure he didn't suffer….."

"What do you expect me to do?" she asked through bursts of tears. "My husband, the man I love is dead!" she hiccupped, then pressed the pillow down harder.

"I'll leave you alone shall I?" he told her gently.

Alice wanted him to do that, she wanted to rewind the past and tell Danny to steer clear of her, anything she ever cared about seemed to be taken away from her, she wasn't ever allowed to be happy. But she had to find a way of getting out of here and to start she had to find out his identity. "WHO ARE YOU?" she asked loud and angry. Those emotions were better than crippling grief.

"It's not the right time, when I tell you who I am I want you to be happy, hopefully we'll be face to face."

Alice doubted that very much, if Danny was dead then it was his fault. In doing that he had pretty much declared war on her. An idea began to form in her head and she quieted allowing her tears to fall slowly, freely.

"I'll go." he repeated.

"No." she asked. "Stay if you want, it doesn't make a difference either way now does it?" her voice low and sad. "I don't want to be alone right now."

"Alice is this a ploy?" he asked suspiciously. "I know how good an actress you are, one of the best I have worked with."

"I just found out my husband is dead!" she spat. "You're the cause but you're the only one here too, I'd rather not….." she sighed. "Just stay or not, frankly right now I don't really care." lay on her side and hugged a pillow tight. The room was quiet and she closed her eyes thinking of Danny, of all the memories they made together, of their girls, of the life they'd had which had been stolen from them….

"Tell me why you loved him." the voice asked softly.

"Does it even matter?" she asked emotionless staring straight ahead. "He's gone now…."

"It might make you feel better."

"I don't think talking about him to you is a good idea."

"It's up to you." he replied.

Alice exhaled. He had changed from the first day she'd been here. He tried to be nicer to her, accommodating in a way. Before he'd been forceful and full of demands. Thoughts engulfed her of Danny when they first met. How he'd acted, how he'd changed slowly. How she had fell for him without even knowing it, a tightness crushed her chest and she started talking without even realising it.

"He had this way of winding me up but he knew my limit right before I wanted to ki…" she inhaled sharply. "Before I wanted to kill him." she quieted softly. "He um..." thoughts of Danny making her voice escape her momentarily. "He had this ability of making me laugh when I was on the verge of tears, he just seemed make the problem go away, make it better, or smaller than it actually was." she felt her eyes well up. "He's so unlike the men I'd known in the movie business, down to earth, didn't let me get too big headed or egotistical." her throat was tight now, "He's the been one constant in my life since my mum died, always there by my side whenever he needed or a phone call away and now he's….." she pressed her face onto the pillow to hide the evidence of her heartbreak. "He just really loved me." came out muffled. "The real me, not the person people think I am because I make films." she sighed, the pillow wet against her cheeks. "He made me feel normal, the star treatment gets old, but at the same time I felt like a princess…if that makes sense." the voice took all that away from her and Alice would never forget and would get revenge in Danny's name!

The voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Anyway you asked." she finished. "He was everything to me!"

"I'm sending down the newspaper to you." the voice told her.

Alice shook her head, "I don't want to read it."

"You do, it has interesting information in it."

Alice shook her head. "I don't care, I don't want to read all the gory details and the speculation about me and why I'm absent."

"I'll tell you then, it says that you are with your lover in hiding. They are wondering whether your lover got sick of waiting for you and did this as an expression of love. Apparently your marriage was all a farce, you both regretted it soon after but stayed together for the sake of your girls, then Lauren went missing and you were forced into showing a united front and staying together. You were gonna announce your divorce then Lauren came back and it got put on the back burner, this is your chance to be free…..apparently."

Alice sat up. "Who wrote that rubbish?" she hissed. "I'm gonna sue the hell out of whoever wrote that crap! It has NO basis in reality!"

"Yeah, and his lover made comments too, she'd heartbroken, she's the one who truly loved him, not you. Again he told her it was only the girls keeping you together."

"His lover? Who the fuck wrote that?!" she vaulted off the bed and was pacing side to side restlessly, the hatch opened swiftly and she yanked the paper from the hand. It wasn't the full paper, just a single article. It had the date on the top and she noted briefly that she had been missing 6 days, she would have pondered that longer had she not been intent on reading the paper. She sat down cross legged on the floor and read quickly. A woman she didn't know was talking about how she and Danny had met up many years ago and they'd became friends it was only the last few years they began sleeping together and fell in love. This woman wanted to hope Alice never got her hands on her….."This is rubbish!" she shouted throwing the article away. "He'd never cheat on me! You had something to do with this didn't you? Did you go to the newspaper with this crap?"

He was quiet.

"Answer me!" she demanded. "How much did you pay her to spit lies about my husband?"

"Alice…." he tried to soothe but she was going crazy, anger running hot and uncontrollable, she had finally hit her limit.

"It's not enough to kill him but you have to slander his name too? You bastard! You crazy SOB" she screamed, then quieted breathing audibly.

"You calmer now?" he asked.

"NO!" she seethed. "I have one final thing to ask you, it's the least I deserve, the man who killed Danny, did you give him a bonus or pay him extra? Was he your target all along? Was there an order to eliminate Danny?"

All she could hear was his soft breathing over the mic.

Alice lost her mind, literally blacked out. On instinct she stomped over the drawers, climbed on them and tore the TV clean off the wall. It fell with a crash, glass shattered showing sparks. Alice jumped down pulled the drawers from out of their holders and began shredding the clothes in there, just tearing them and throwing the remnant to the floor. When that was done she pushed the shell of the drawers to the floor and jumped on them until the wood shattered, all the while spewing curses at the voice, she was about to start on the bed when four people ran in wearing surgical masks. Each one grabbed an arm or leg, she fought them as best she could, finding strength the didn't know existed, one of the got a nasty blow to the face another to the groin, she was soon restrained.

"Let me go!" she raged yanking and straining. A needle was jabbed in her arm and still she continued, moments later though she felt the strength draining from her body, she blinked tiredly struggling to remain conscious. Her vision blurred and someone entered the room.

"Is she calmed down yet?"

Alice was trying to focus on the voice, it as the first time she heard it without the distortion, her brain was fuzzy though and she didn't quite recognise it although she knew it was familiar.

"We've sedated her." the doctor replied. "Two of my men were hurt."

Alice turned her head in the direction where the voices originated but her vision was blurry.

"She'll sleep it off, I'll get people in to sort the mess."

The TV still sparked in the corner, the floor a mess of mangled metal, shattered glass, torn clothing and shards of wood.

The man nodded and went to her, rubbing her hair affectionately. "Don't worry." he crooned. "You're upset, I understand, I forgive you. Nothing you do will ever change my love for you."

Alice shot him a dark malevolent look before the darkness claimed her.

**A/N back again, with a much longer chapter and an Alice blow up! Lauren is home and about to go on the war path, how will she react to Lily? Will she and Lily face Emma? Will they find out where their mum is? And Danny what of him? Hmmmm th****ankfully i have all this written as i have been soaking up some rays enjoying some rare free time recently. And a Lauren part i just LOVED writing! Can't wait!  
Anyway i will get to reviewing all of your stories tomorrow, got to say i am LOVING them all :D  
And i have been trying to write fluff, believe it r not i have 2 one shots written but they are well under what i consider an acceptable standard (Im a perfectionist its irritating :/) so unfortunately not gonna get them just yet, just gonna have to write my way out of the fluff block :(**


	32. Consequences

**Straight up unchecked, will review everyones chappies tomoro, enjoy :) x**

(X)

Lauren sat at home, or more aptly described as Mara in the living area while Mandy argued with her solicitor and police about whether or not it was a good idea for both Lily and her to go in and talk to Emma. There was no denying the idea had merits as everyone knew there was no way Emma was talking to anyone but them. She herself was all for it and Lily wanted to go in too, not as much as Lauren though. Lauren had big old scores to settle. She had been stabbed and left for dead, and for reasons unknown to her she was alive and eager to get in that room and spit in Emma's face.

"They're only twelve!" Mandy repeated for the tenth time. She said that so much, like it would change the ay everyone looked at things, thing was, age didn't change the facts did it? And to be totally honest Lauren didn't feel like she was twelve, she felt older, too old in fact. All she wanted for all this to be over so she go and try to find some semblance of a normal life.

Mandy was shouting again. "I know! I want Alice back too but I'm not endangering her kids to do it, I mean their dad….."

Lauren blocked out the rest of Mandy's statement as her thoughts moved on to her dad. He was in a coma in hospital, she'd had told Mandy she wanted to see him before she came home and she wished she hadn't. He'd been lain in this white sterile room quiet and still, a thick white bandage around his head, monitors all around him. It had hit her harder than she expected, she had thought he would have been asleep in the room but to see him so…broken, so totally unlike him and she realised that even though he was her dad and was supposed to be invincible he really wasn't. 12 was far too young to learn that, she should have had a few years grace, I mean it wasn't like she'd ever had a father before, and maybe after this she wouldn't. They'd conducted brain scans on him and they'd seem some improvement, but not a lot. Mandy was busy worrying about him, about their mum and them too.

Meanwhile her mind kept running in circles trying to figure out the myriad of thoughts in her head, they swirled around begging to be connected to a larger whole, Lauren knew there was one important piece she was missing that would make all the difference. That piece would only come from Emma and the only people Emma would give the information to was her and Lily.

Lily walked into the living area and sat down across the way, the only noise in the room the monotonous tick of the clock. Lauren didn't feel like speaking to her so picked up a magazine hoping Lily picked up on the message. Lauren knew that Lily didn't always do what others wanted, she was like Lauren that way. So she opened the magazine and began flicking through the pages not really paying attention. Lauren felt her trying to get her attention using the twin radar and ignored it placing a brick wall up.

Lily exhaled. "Lauren we need to talk about this."

"No we really don't." Lauren replied peering more intently at a picture in the magazine, pretending to be totally absorbed….in nappy rash cream. Ewwww.

"If you are upset about what I said…." Lily began.

Lauren slowly raised her eyes to look at Lily. "I don't care about what you said." her voice lowered an octave. "And I care even less about what you think about me."

"I was upset and angry…."

"Lily I said I didn't care."

"Lauren….."

"Stop it!" Lauren ordered.

"But…" Lily tried to convince her.

"Don't push it." Lauren warned coldly.

"What do I do then?" Lily shouted losing her cool. "Am I supposed to happy about losing my twin?"

"Possibly? You have more practice at it then me." Lauren shook her head. "Actually isn't that what you said yourself?"

"I know I did Lauren but I didn't mean it, and about losing you, that isn't fair! You forgot me but I didn't have that did I? Maybe I didn't remember you but I knew of you, knew there was something missing! Look I'm sorry ok, I just needed someone to lash out at and you were the only target I had."

Lauren had spent too much time as Emma's target and swore to herself that she would never be in that situation again. "Yeah? Well I don't play target practice for anyone stay out of my way!" she got up to leave but Lily stood up and grabbed her arm.

"NO! we need to sort this out if we are going to go in there and talk to Emma then we need to show her a united front!"

Lauren snorted and pulled her arm free. "I know full well how to handle Emma, I don't need you to try and tell me how. I had to handle her alone for seven years!"

"You're not alone anymore….."

A thought came to Lauren out of the blue, "Maybe you should be…." she said softly.

"What?" Lily gasped.

"No you misunderstand me, let Emma think you are alone. No me. No mum and no dad. I'll be listening ready at the right moment to throw her off balance. It's the best ay with Emma, let her think she is in control. If she doesn't know what's going on it'll be better, we'll make her work for us!"

Lily crossed her arms. "And now you are changing the subject."

"There will be plenty of time for fixing us when mum is safe and sound, one thing at a bloody time is all I can handle right now!" Lauren snapped.

Lily wanted to argue but decided against it. "You'll only ignore this then too, I know you." Ok so she couldn't help herself.

"Well its better than blaming for you something that wasn't your fault isn't it?" Lauren retorted venomously.

"Point taken." Lily conceded. "And I'll let it go, but I mean it when I say I want this fixed, I want us fixed!"

"We'll see won't we?" Laurens tone dismissive.

It stroked her anger and her eyes were like flames now, "You're not even gonna try are you?"

"Why should I?" the girls sounding identical with matching scowls, right now there was no mistaking they were twins. "I didn't blame you for mums death!"

"Yeah and didn't hurt you or be horrible when we first me. Need I remind you that you tried to lure me to Emma? Did it not occur to you what she could have done to me?"

Lauren's face turned to stone when she mentioned the past.

"But no, I don't blame you for that I could though, I was almost shot for goodness sake!"

Lauren and Lily were nose to nose. "How long you been saving that one?" Lauren's voice low and cold, "Just waiting for the right moment to make me feel guilty?"

"No, but c'mon Lauren, we're sisters. Twins! Does that meaning anything at all to you?

Lauren turned her back. "Just leave me alone Lily."

Lily shook her head, "Emma did teach you well then?"

Lauren flinched then turned her head slowly. "Excuse me?"

"She's winning!" Lily told her heatedly. "All she wanted was to separate us and even though physically you are here with me you're miles away emotionally, you may as well still be with her!"

It took Lily seconds to realise she said the wrong thing, but it was too late, Lauren lunged for her and had pushed her back pinned against the back of the sofa in seconds. Both hands fisted in the collar of her t-shirt it was creasing it. Rage so potent had filled Lauren that for a moment she couldn't speak just glare at her sister. When she regained he voice her voice didn't sound like her own, unbeknownst to her Emma was there, in her inflections. "I should have let her shoot you!"

Lily paled. "What?"

"Yeah! That morning when mum 'died' she came for me, was stood right there gun pointed right at your head and she told me quite clearly that if I didn't do as I was told that she'd kill you so I did as I was told and made sure you were safe!" her fists clenched in her t-shirt tighter and Lauren could feel the material grow even more taut beneath her fingers. "Do you know what I went through with her?" she hissed. "Do you remember what I looked like? SHE did that!" Lauren released Lily and she slid down the sofa. Lauren was pushing up her jumper, determined to show Lily what Emma did. Lily stared wide eyes as she saw the lines that crisscrossed Laurens body but what truly horrified her was the name Emma across her stomach. She was literally stunned into silence.

"She's always with me now Lily!" Lauren told her yanking the jumper down. "Oh and a titbit of information you might find interesting, I heard her taunting mum with it. You know why she took me and not you? Because I look like dad! You were left behind because of pure luck, something random and unpredictable. This could have been you!" Laurens eyes were glistening, but she seemed to catch her self and her voice hardened. "Don't dare," she hissed, "Talk about Emma to me like you know her ok!"

To Lily at this moment Lauren sounded eerily like Emma, had she been standing she would have actually taken a step back! She watched as Lauren's fingers flexed in both hands and the expression on her face, Lily didn't know this girl. Lauren spun suddenly and left the room, Lily didn't try to stop her, she just exhaled and put her head in her hands. She remained that way until Mandy walked into the room.

"Oh, Lily this room was quiet so I thought….." she noticed her pose. "Lily are you ok?"

Lily raised her head and shrugged.

"The police want to talk to you and Lauren about Emma, where is she?"

"Dunno." Lauren breathed slouching back on the sofa. "I tried to work things out with her but she is angry."

Mandy sat beside her. "Lauren is like your mum, you both are that's your problem. Thing is with your mum she gets really hot and just sort of explodes but when she calms down and everything goes back to normal she saw clearly. Lauren is like that too but you, you're more like your dad as even though your angry you're calmer and more thoughtful, you get it from your dad. Its only when something wounds him deeply that he loses his mind. From what I hear of Lauren, as I don't know her very well is that she is impulsive and tends to jump in without thinking. You don't know this and she probably doesn't either is that she needs you, more than either of you both know. She needs someone to take care of her. She took on so much stuff all by herself for so long, she is sued to assigning blame and promising never to forgive and forget, look at who she grew up with!"

"Emma." Lily whispered.

Mandy nodded, "Just be there for her. Talking will only antagonise her. If your there unspoken, words won't be needed."Lily sighed. "She hates me though."

"No she doesn't, she loves you and that's why its hurting her so much. Do you think she will react this strongly to Emma someone she does hate? Watch her when she speaks her, see if she loses her temper in any way."

Lily nodded and ran her hands through her hair, it was already unruly but the action just made it worse. "Any change with dad?"

"I rang the hospital, once again no change, but the medical insurance finally kicked in so a specialist is coming in."

"Good." Lily nodded. "I want my dad back, I want them both back!"

"You'll get them." Mandy assured. "And all of this will just be a bad memory. Just hold on….you don't have to talk to Emma if you don't want to." Mandy knew there was no persuading her but she had to try.

"I do." she told her. "Lauren had an idea."

* * *

Alice felt like her whole body had no consistency, her arms legs and back felt heavy, she attempted to stretch her muscles and a loud groan erupted unwilling as her body protested the movement.

"Hello sleepy head, sleep well?" the voice asked.

"Go to hell!" Alice hissed, lethargy making her feel sick to her stomach. "What did you give me?" Alice looked around and saw all the mess she'd made cleared away and a brand new TV on the wall.

"I warned you what would happen if you pushed me Alice…." The TV came on and footage began to play. It was Lily and Lauren at Mara. Lauren grabbed Lily shouting at her. Her mouth was moving so fast, they couldn't hear what she was saying as this was being recorded through a window.

"She's got quite the temper hasn't she?" the voice asked.

Alice ignored it, watching as Lauren left the room. She walked out of the building unbeknownst to her, a camera following close behind.

A split screen came on, one camera stayed on Lily and the other on Lauren.

"Leave them." Alice breathed.

"Keep watching….." he told her.

"I said leave them!" she shouted her temper on a hair trigger.

The camera zoomed in on Lauren as she walked through the resort hands in her pockets, her shoulders water slumped. As she passed the decorative rocks she kicked them as she passed. Heading for the pool area. Lauren stopped suddenly and struggled to control her breathing. She pressed her fisted hands to her eyes. Alice sat up pain filling her as she watched her daughter fighting to contain all the emotion she was so evidently feeling.

The voice broke the silence. "Lauren should know better than to go anywhere alone. Maybe she wants…."

"Shut UP!" Alice roared. "You promised not to hurt them, to let them be!"

"If you behaved yourself, maybe you need to be taught a lesson…."

Alice heard the crackle of a radio, "Move in, get her, both if you can. " then the TV screen went dark.

"NO!" Alice dived from the bed acting on pure instinct. She ran to the door and pounded her fist off it hard continually, futilely. "Leave them alone!" she screamed until she was hoarse. Pounded and pounded so hard that her hands, wrists and arms throbbed. She fell to her knees, still pounding. Her arms fell limply to her sides all strength exhausted. "Hurt my daughters in any way and I'll find a way to kill you." she promised voice low.

"Sorry I didn't quite catch that." the voice asked.

"I said I'll kill you!" she shouted. "Hear that one?"

"Yes quite clearly." he laughed.

(X)

"Lauren had an idea." Lily told Mandy in the living room.

The door swung open and Lauren entered. "Yeah I did."

Mandy noted how Lauren's face was totally expressionless, eyes shuttered. Back ramrod straight, she seemed colder somehow, harder and emotionally untouchable. This didn't bode well at all, why did everything insist on going to hell all at once? Couldn't this sort of thing happen one thing at a time? It would make life so much fricking easier!

"Lily is going in with Emma first, tell Emma she has no one. Dad's condition being released when it was is genius. Emma will know about mum, will think she killed me and now that dad is in a coma poor little Lily is all alone in the world, let her play with that for a little while. All Lily has to do is play along."

"What and your sister is supposed to act like she's upset."

"Chip off the old block aren't you Lil's, I'm sure you can fool Emma. Just let her lead it, let her talk long enough and shell tell you all you want to know and if she doesn't, " she grinned, "That's when I come in!"

"What so two twelve year old are gonna convince her to talk? How? It may had escaped your notice but she's a psycho!"

"Yeah a psycho I grew up with! don't try and tell me what I can and can't do Amanda."

Lily's eyes widened at Laurens blatant challenge she threw sown at Mandy's feet.

"I think you'll find you DO as I say." she stood up. "You think you'll get anywhere near that place without me? This is only happening as far as I agree with it."

Lauren snorted, "I'm not scared of you."

Mandy smiled at her, "Keep on playing the big 'I am' Lauren, you aren't fooling anyone least of all me. Now you will co-operate or I have imaginative ways of making it so…..and before you say anything no I'm not like Emma, I just knew your mother at this age so I have plenty of practice."

Lauren and Mandy stared each other down and Lauren gave in and looked away, grinding her teeth as she did so.

"Look Auntie Mand." Lily aid breaking the ice and standing between them, Lauren looked ready to swing for her right now…..and she'd have no chance. She'd seen her auntie halt men twice her size in the bar! "We'll be safe won't we?""She's crazy but the trick is to show no fear with her." Lauren added. "She feeds on it, fearless equals respect."

"I don't want her respect!" Lily spat.

Laurens eyes zeroed on her, "What and you'd rather have her playing with all your insecurities, have her doubting everything you believe? You Don't have to like her Lily, she's a means to an end, like I was."

Mandy hadn't taken her eyes off Lauren seeing right through her, the pain and hurt were warring with the strength and bitterness within her. The bitterness was seeming to be winning, unfortunately.

"The police are going back to the station to get stuff sorted, I need to take you that way in a little while so they can discuss things with you, there will be certain things you can and can't say to Emma and then you'll go in and talk to her through a glass partition."

"Face to face." Lauren demanded.

"No." Mandy said simply.

"You think she will agree to this any other way? We have to play by her rules or we don't play at all!"

"You act like this is all a big game Lauren!" Mandy snapped.

"It has been to her all along!"

"I'm agreeing to this, against my better judgement, you're mum is gonna kill me for agreeing to let you do this!"

"At least mum will be here to kill you!" Lauren retorted.

"I know why you wanna see her face to face, you want to get your own back for what she did to you and I can tell you that if you lay one finger on her they will shut this whole thing down!" Mandy told Lauren heatedly. "And you will be charged with assault."

"You think I care about that? After all she's done?"

"Christ Lauren you are doing my head in!" she was frustrating as hell when she dug her heels in, the kid refused to budge! "You are NOT seeing her face to face, I'll put a stop to it!"

"We'll see….."

And before Mandy could reply the proximity alarm went off. She was immediately on alert and pushed the girls into a corner and pulled a gun out. "Keep down!" Mandy told them, face fierce.

(X)

Alice was still on her knees staring at the now blank TV screen eyes wild, "Don't do this!" she pleaded, hating she was begging him but needing to ensure her girls safety.

"You had your chance." the voice flippant.

"Please!"

He sighed. "Have dinner with me tonight? I'll leave them alone if you do."

"Ok, ok anything!"

"Careful what you say to me Alice, anything could be anything." his voice low.

Bile rose as the implications of his words sank in, it felt like rocks had been dropped in it when she thought of what he may want AFTER dinner…..she'd have to deal with that when it came, one thing at a time and the object on this agenda was ensuring her daughters safety.

"Anyway." the voice said flippantly a radio crackled. "Leave them."

Alice felt her spine lose consistency and her whole body slumped in relief.

"See how easy it is when you listen and do as your told?"

Alice ignored the voice and braced her hands on the floor when she saw something glimmering by the door, she looked up at the TV and back at the fluffy carpet…..nooooooo…he couldn't possibly be that stupid could he?….as on the floor sat a sharp shard of glass about the size of her hand. She kept her face neutral pretending to stretch her stiff muscles as she reached for her prize moving it quickly in her hand shoving it up the sleeve of her jumper. She then got up, wincing as she did so.

"Since we're having dinner you'll want to wash huh? I'll open the bathroom." like he was being generous to her.

"How kind of you." she muttered under breath. As she headed for the room she pressed down the melancholy. Using the bathroom here was almost a battle. There was a camera in the corner of the room which the voice made no effort to try and disguise. She tried to wash as much as she could but she point blank refused to take all her clothes off for him. Once she had tried to cover it on with her jumper but the camera made a whirring noise, moved and it slumped to the floor. Alice swore she heard him laughing wherever his little voyeur palace was! But this was all gonna change now she had her piece of glass, readjusting her fingers so she held it securely. Somehow she was gonna lure him into this room and when he was close enough glass the bastard! She was aware of how many holes there were in this plan but it was all she had at the moment, and it was more than she had an hour ago!

(X)

Lily and Lauren looked around as an alarm rang loud and shrill, "Kids we need to move now!" she told them, no trace of fun in her face or voice, she wasn't the fun loving aunt they usually knew.

"Holy crap!" Lily said when she saw the weapon in her aunts hand, "Is that real?"

"A fake one is zero help is it?" Lauren told her while Mandy was ushering them out of a door, her grip tight on the gun. Two men met them before they hit the front doors. One took Lily and the other took Lauren and they were soon heading to a different building. Once inside Mandy seemed to exhale, she ushered the girls into a large opulent room. As Mandy checked the windows she ordered the girls to "Sit on the floor away from the windows." then she pulled the phone out.

"What the hell happened?" lily declared.

"Wake up Lil's." Lauren replied lounging back against the wall under the window. "Someone came for us. Mandy knew this would happen and planned for it!"

Lily's eyes widened and she was breathing audibly "This is fricking crazy!" she gasped.

Meanwhile Mandy was on her phone pacing frantically. "Who tripped the alarm?"

There was silence on their end until Mandy exclaimed, "What do you mean two men were carrying cameras?" she shouted. And began running her head. "How did they get past security?" her face was thunderous suddenly. "During handover? That's too predictable!" she seethed. "This guy isn't an amateur is he? Sort it, make it random!" then she put her phone away and ran her hands through her hair face pale and stressed.

"Auntie Mand?" Lily asked softly sitting beside Lauren.

Mandy released a strained breath. "I'm ok, are both of you?" and her eyes strayed to Lauren who sat there emotionless on the carpet playing with some lint. The look concerned Mandy. Lily at least looked scared and worker, but Lauren was unconcerned about it all. "Lauren you ok?" Mandy asked.

Lauren shrugged, "Months ago life was normal, living at Newcastle, ok my 'mum' was kind of crazy but it was a quiet life. Now it turns out I'm an actresses kid with crazy people who want to kill me because of her. Oh yeah, I'm fricking fine!" sarcasm heavy in the words. "Being famous isn't fun, its dangerous and I plan to stay put of it!"

"Is Davy safe?" Lily asked sitting up.

Mandy nodded, "His dad has taken him to N'Goonie Lodge for the foreseeable future."

Lily nodded relieved, not wanting to have his safety on her conscience. "Ok, good thing you set up those sensors huh?"

Initially the sensors had been a security measure for poachers, Mandy had never thought she'd be using them to protect her nieces! Her phone rang in her pocket and she pulled it out and connected. "Hello?" she nodded sharply. "Ok, I'll keep my eyes open." disconnected the call and rubbed her head feeling a headache forming. She went to the window and saw a guard she recognise nod. She motioned to the girls to follow. "Stay close to me ok?" and she led them from the room, out of the building towards a waiting car.

"Where we going?" Lily asked.

"To see Emma." Lauren replied icily.

**A/N ****in a lot of ways lily is still incredibly naïve and I think she wants Lauren to be the same but she really isn't, I think lily needs to do some growing up but at the same time Lauren needs to try and be a kid. Lauren actually has me quite worried, she just refuses to feel it, thing is with feelings they can jump out on you at unexpected times!**

**Anyway i have a little suggestion, if any of you have a particular quote or line or song you'd like a fluffy one shot wrote to or any kind of one shot with any pairing i will try and write it for you, (trying to write myself out of a fluff block atm) anyway like i said line from the show, quote, song drop me a line and i'll get it up for you asap :D x**


	33. Lily Vs Emma

The police had outlined clearly what Lauren and Lily could and couldn't say to Emma, if they did say something they shouldn't the thing would be shut down and they would be losing the best chance of getting their mother back. The same went for any physical assault against Emma. Lauren's face had hardened at that point, Lily had intervened and promised to keep her in line. They weren't jeopardising their mothers safety because Lauren had scores to settle. After everything was clear to them they were sat in a room filled with TV's, one screen fixed on the table where Emma and they would be sat talking. It was going to be face to face, Mandy had argued forcibly for a glass partition but they didn't have the facilities needed for such a meeting. Emma was going to be shackled and both girls would be completely safe….well physically safe, no one except Mandy mentioned their mental well being. Emma was being transferred from a high security prison at the moment, due to the girls high profile mother and their age nobody wanted them anywhere near that place and the people that occupied it.

So now Lauren and Lily sat on a plush sofa quietly, side by side in a warm room while officers sat talking by the TV screens. Lily was watching her sister covertly and she wasn't as unaffected as she pretended. Every so often Lauren would start fidgeting and stop when she realised.

"You ok?" Lily asked.

Lauren looked at her, a mask over the feelings Lily knew would be flooding over her. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked arrogantly.

Lily leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "Because you are to talk to the person who caused you so much pain."

Lauren smiled coldly and Lily saw her indifferent mask fix firmly immovably in place. "I don't care. I'm not scared of her."

"Anymore…" Lily added.

Lauren frowned at her.

"Look you can't go in there not admitting that once you were scared of her or that she didn't hurt you. You heard what the police said, she's gonna do all she can to push your buttons. You need a level head in there!"

"Don't pretend like you know her!" Lauren hissed crossing her arms.

"I know you!" Lily retorted quickly. "And right now I'd say you're doing a fair imitation of her."

Lauren clenched her teeth, the only thing stopping her lashing out the people in the corner.

"Think of mum!" Lily told her. "What what she say if she was here."

Mum isn't here is she?" Lauren whispered heatedly. "If she was we wouldn't even be contemplating this!"

Lily sighed defeated. "You go in there with her with this attitude and it's going to take her all of five seconds to get into your head and if she does I can't help you!"

"I don't want or need your help ok and she won't be getting in my head!"

"Lauren…." Lily began.

"Shut up and leave me alone!"

Lily raised her hands to the heavens but did as Lauren asked. Mandy walked in behind a policeman and Lily's stomach dropped.

"The room is ready." the officer told her. "Emma is waiting."

"There is still time if you don't want to do this." Mandy told them.

Both girls shook their head.

"Using kids…." Mandy muttered but quieted knowing it was useless.

"Does Emma know its me who wants to talk to her?" Lily asked standing up.

"No, she thinks she's being re-interviewed for Lauren." the officer replied.

Lauren was shaking her head. "She'll know." then she stood up and on impulse hugged Lily briefly. "Stay strong in there, don't let her get to you. Ignore everything she says except what we need to know."

Lily nodded. "Thanks."

Lauren patted her back. "You'll be great."

Lily smiled at her gratefully and was being reminded of what she would and couldn't say as they walked down a cool hallway. They reached the room and Lily saw Emma was handcuffed to a table through a window, the glass was one way so she couldn't see Lily. She took a second to compose herself then opened the door making sure to look Emma right in the eyes as she walked inside. Emma raised her head in her direction and if she was surprised to see her she hid it well. Lily walked in and sat opposite her.

"Lily." Emma said in lieu of a greeting. "You look well."

"Emma." Lily replied equally cool.

"It's nice seeing you again, this place is much more bright than the car park don't you think?" Emma smiled evilly. "Anyway what can I do for you?"

"I need your help." no messing around, not that it was going to be this easy. Emma would make them work for any information.

Emma laughed softly and this time she did look surprised. "Do you? I wonder why." the gleam in her eye told Lily she had an idea.

"My mum is missing, my dad is in hospital. I need you to tell me where my mum is."

"And Lauren, how is she?" A malicious smirk etched on Emma's face. "You neglected to mention her I see? Sisterly squabble perhaps?"

Lily began to fidget in her seat, pretending that Lauren was in fact dead. "she's um….she's…." on cue her eyes filled with tears.

_Lauren was watching this on screen nodded smiling. "That's good Lils make her think she's in control and has you where she wants you." she whispered to herself._

"You know what you did." Lily told her softly.

"Maybe I want to hear you say it!" Emma told her viciously, enjoying her small piece of power.

Lily clenched her jaw, "You killed her!"

"Oh did I? Sorry, although I doubt whether you believe that, I actually care about her you know."

"No you don't! You murdered her in cold blood! A child, feel good about that huh?"

"Yes actually." Emma laughed.

Lily felt her temper begin to boil and restrained the urge to reach across and hit her - hard. "Tell me what I want to know."

"Ooooo you sounded just like Lauren there! She had this air about her didn't she, like a presence…. actually lets call it attitude, you can't emulate that and you know it." Emma paused for effect. "Don't you." Emma then looked at her like she was considering something then shook her head. "You wouldn't have lasted one week had I took you. The choice I made was right." and she nodded satisfied playing on Lily's insecurities that Lauren was everything she would never be.

Lily was just sat there frowning. "What?" completely off task now.

_Lauren put her face in her hand and shook her head._

"Well look at you." Emma gestured towards her as much as she could with her shackled hands. "Lauren would have came in here all guns blazing and MADE me tell her what she wanted to know. But you sit there, crying, soft. She truly loved your mum."

_"God Lily don't let her get in your head like this!" Lauren murmured in the room._

"Don't mention my mum!" Lily shouted twitching. "Now tell me!"

"She refused to say she didn't love your mum, would you say it I wonder." Emma mused. "How far would I have to go with you?"

The memory of the scars on Laurens stomach was vivid in Lily's mind and her fists clenched.

"Here's my Lauren coming through, keep her coming, I knew she'd be in you somewhere, she'd have swung for me by now, I admire your restraint!"

Emma was laughing at her, taunting her and everything Lily'd been told flew out of the window. "She isn't yours ok!" Lily was raging and her fists bounced off the table. She got out of her chair and stalked to the edge of the room. Closed her eyes and blocked out all sounds while she collected herself. She did this when she had a particularly hard scene to do in a play and it worked then. She opened her eyes and saw Emma looking at her intently, smiling.

"I imagine I don't have to say this but you don't half resemble your mother, has anyone ever told you that?" Emma said cordially, like she hadn't just been taunting her about torturing her sister.

"Often. Where is she? I know you know so tell me!" Lily stood by the window.

"Not like Lauren." Emma carried on. "That was why she was chosen and not you. It could have very easily been you you know, do you know how many times I could have snatched you when you kept running away from daddy. It could have been you in that cold room, it could have been you who hated your mother! How does that make you feel?"

"Lauren loves our mum! She always has!"

Emma laughed again. "She tell you that?" Emma's eyes were heavenward, "Oh Lauren liar liar!" she grinned. "Oh, maybe I'm looking the wrong way." and her eyes were rooted to the floor.

Lily's fists were clenched and she had to stop herself from stomping across the room and planting her fist in Emma's face.

_"Get her out of there NOW!" Mandy warned._

_"Not yet." someone replied. Lauren was holding her face in her hands knowing this was all going wrong._

"She was strong your sister." Emma nodded nostalgically. "You have no idea what she went through, I used to burn her you know, an iron made her really scream. Knives too. Sometimes she didn't cry so I tried harder."

_"Tell her to shut up Lily!" Lauren ordered like her sister could hear her. She didn't need to hear about all that stuff! Emma was in full control, the police had warned Lily this could happen and she'd forgot what top do. Emma was running this!_

"I'm not here for that, my mum…." Lily started not at all convincing, her eyes haunted as she could almost hear Lauren screaming in her head.

"Do you know about your mum and dad Lily? Do you know she had a stalker? Did you know he tried to kill her numerous times? Did you know he locked her in a pen with a lion? Did you know he set up a bomb in her trailer? Did you know he burned the house down with her in it?" Emma spat each one quickly Lily's head was spinning.

"Liar!" she breathed unable to think from all the information she'd been given.

"Really? Did your mum and dad tell you how they met?"

Lily's face was confused not really knowing what to believe.

"Her stalker was my dad you know." Emma continued.

"I….I…." Lily breathed frowning.

_"That's it, this is going wrong, I need to be in there now!" Lauren told the officers watching._

_"Not yet." they told her._

_"Look at Lily!" she shouted. "She can't handle this but I can!" and she ran at the door._

"Yeah." Emma nodded at Lily. "Your mother killed him, your mum killed my dad." Emma enunciated clearly.

Lily gasped. "Mum wouldn't, she couldn't kill someone."

"Your mother tried to kill me! If your dad hadn't came in when he did she would have! If he'd knew what I did to Lauren at that point the probably would have let her. Anyway if you EVER see your mum again be careful, stay safe. You could be next, it won't be your dad, obviously."

"Liar! Tell me where she is!" Lily shouted face red.

"C'mon keep on channelling Lauren, we want her here not you. Lauren will help you be stronger, I need her here to talk to not you Lily. She could get your mum back."

"Shut up! Tell me where my mum is!" she screamed voice hoarse, she couldn't think, this was just too much.

"I bet they are so disappointed in you, Lauren would have had the information by now you're the weak twin huh? Bet they wish she was here but I saw to that didn't I? I stabbed her twice in the chest you know, she didn't even act scared was telling me to go to hell until the very end. Would you? Or would you beg me not to do it? I had planned on it, killing you slowly in ways you haven't even imagined but….."

Lily blacked out, so many voices in her head to be calm, to not listen but the very loudest the one said that she was all Emma said that unlike Lauren she would have begged for her life, she was weak…and with that final thought she snapped, with her eyes trained on Emma and fists clenched tight she headed for her. She was just about to swing when the door opened and she was grabbed from behind. She was pulled back quickly, Lily fighting the whole way,

"Lil its me stop." Lauren whispered.

Lily was past help and Lauren found a way to wrestle her into a seat. Then she stood up and looked Emma clear in the face, "You wanted me? I'm right here." Lauren smirked at her. "Try your mind tricks on me!" Laurens face as full of malice as Emma's had been.

However right now the only thing on Emma's face was shock.

"You don't half talk some rubbish do you?" Lauren had her hands clamped firmly on Lily's shoulders to stop her trying to hit Emma again. She then knelt down her mouth close to Lily's ear. "Go get a drink, hit yourself a few walls, clear your head then come back." showing Emma the united front Lily told her about.

"But you…." Lily whispered mentally exhausted.

Lauren looked at Emma, the shock still evident on her expression, her jaw was slack as she stared at her eyes wide, for once she was completely quiet. "We'll be fine, won't we Emma." Lauren then again shot her the cocky smirk Emma had helped her perfect over the years. Emma was not gonna know what hit her! Hurricane Lauren had entered her building.

**A/N Emma has did far worse than anyone expected, something which will break alices heart more than anything else, she stole Lilys innocence. Will there be a fallout if they get their mum back?  
Now its Laurens turn to talk to Emma, how will she cope? Better than Lily or worse? Keep reading  
Next chapter is half typed, had i left them together this chappie could have been close to 6000 words! and thats abit too much,  
Anyway keep a look out tomorrow for Lauren Vs Emma and see how she fares! (personally i LOVE this and the next chappie!) Goodnight x**


	34. Lauren Vs Emma

**A/N and here is Lauren...**

After Lauren escorted Lily out of the room she walked back to Emma, pure malevolence on her face. She took her time sitting down. "Emma." she said resting her joined hands on the table. "You look well." echoing what she said to Lily just to unnerve her.

"How are you even alive?" Emma hissed. " I killed you, I left you on the floor. I sat and waited until you stopped breathing! You lost too much blood….."

"We'll get to that later." Lauren promised almost dismissing her question. "Now my mum….." Emma easily out manoeuvred.

"I don't know where she is." Emma told her. "How did you…."

"Ok, you don't know anything about my mum. I don't believe that but obviously you want to talk about something else. Lets discuss your dad?" making sure to keep herself in check and in control of the situation.

Emma swore at her, Lauren just stared at her face intensely.

"Now your dad loved my mum didn't he?" Pretending like she hadn't worked all this out already. "But my mum didn't love him, she loved my dad. Now daddy didn't like that did he?"

Emma glared at her, "This isn't going to work! You think by mentioning my dad I will magically tell you everything? Spill my guts and act sorry? I know full well about my dad!"

"I'm just making conversation." her face was innocent but her eyes were glowing.

"You're trying to trick me into telling you where your mum is and since I so obviously failed at killing you, you have no chance!"

Lauren shrugged, "Shall I tell you what I think? I think people in your dads life were such a pain in the ass that your dad fixated on my mum just for relief."

Emma's face hardened.

"Not that I blame him, my mums beautiful, I mean you only have to look at Lily!"

"Not you…." Emma began.

Lauren laughed. "This is where you bring up my list of faults, oh Emma that is so predictable! Whatever you are going to say is nothing that hurts me anymore. I know what I'm good at! Anyway back to the issue at hand, what I have been wondering about is how he managed to get at my mum all those years ago. I think he went on a Alice Collins website or something and he started talking to a man who agreed to help him get closer to her, I mean who knows why right?"

Lauren could see the cogs turning in Emma's head, making connections just as Lauren had.

"He gave him money, the gifts, helped him get to her and eventually helped him follow her to Africa but something went wrong over there with this mans perfect plan. My mum met and fell for my dad, she wasn't supposed meet someone and definitely not fall in love with them but she did. I think this man planned to save my mum from Alistair, from the fire he set. This man thought that if he saved my mum she'd fall in love with him and they'd live happily ever after and Alistair would die in the fire, the secret dying with him. You blamed my mum for everything these years when you should have been blaming him."

"Well well smartpants, where do I fit into all of this?" Emma asked feigning disinterest. Lauren could tell she was listening to every word.

"We'll get there in a minute." Lauren assured then carried on. "After everything that happened with Alistair this man knew he had to wait a while before trying for my mum again, he had to let everything die down and he started planning again. And then Lily and I were born….."

Lily re-entered the room as Lauren said her name and she sat beside her sister. Lauren had kept her eyes glued on Emma, knowing eye contact was the key. "He saw the perfect opportunity, but he needed another puppet. Remember he somehow needed to be the hero in this, or to make sure he succeeded he needed a diversion, while everyone was looking left he came in and grabbed mum from the right. And that is where you come in…."

"And I took you." Emma told her voice soft. "Do you remember that day Lauren? The weather was beautiful, hot, the sun bright."

"You're not gonna get me that way either. I DO remember that day, I even remember that it was Bob in the car who gave you his cigarette for that first burn…."

Lily knew this time to keep her face controlled and not distract Emma or Lauren. Lauren was doing unbelievably well, she'd heard Mandy say that to some of the officers.

"Lauren you are strong!" Emma smiled. "You should thank me for taking you, you could have ended up like her." Emma motioned to Lily. "She is just sat there letting you do all the talking, you're the leader obviously. Were you like this as kids too?"

"Lily doesn't know how to handle you, I had years to learn how didn't I?"

Emma shook her head frustrated that nothing she said provoked Lauren, her Lauren would've bit by now, this Lauren was too calm. She decided to change track. "What makes you think I know where your mother is? How did you come to these conclusions?"

"I remembered things from being young….."

"Do you remember the dark room?"

Before Lauren could disguise it Emma saw her eyes flare and finally knew how to get in control

"Yes." Lauren shrugged. "And…." pretending to be nonchalant.

"Do you remember the winter too? Being cold and alone in that room." Emma interrupted. "When the nights got darker at five o clock and wouldn't be light again until after seven. In that room, all those hours in the pitch black darkness."

Laurens neck stiffened and she rubbed it instinctively. "Yes! And it doesn't bother me!"

"Did it get dark after I stabbed you?" Emma asked gently. "Was it like being in that room?"

Laurens face hardened and she clenched her jaw. "No…." her head shook from side to side quickly.

"Lauren you need to go…." Lily began.

"No Lauren, STAY!" Emma ordered in the voice she used to use when Lauren was five and Lauren found she couldn't move, frozen in place. The colour slowly draining from her face. "Tell me did your eyes go dark? Were you alone? Or was I with you?"

"Mum…." Lauren whispered pale. "Not you…..mum was there….never you….I'm not alone with you. Mum….." she said almost like she was trying to convince herself.

Emma lowered her voice and moved her head inwards looking at her an expression Lauren didn't recognise on her face. "I knew you'd come you know." she whispered without even blinking. "I knew I'd win, I knew it'd come to this…." the exact words Emma told her when she stabbed her.

Lauren who hadn't tried to deal with the trauma of the stabbing felt her body jerk. The words had the intended effect and she was back there, in pain and alone, blood filling her mouth and flowing from the wound in her stomach. Her eyes were dark and there was a chill permeating her bones. Emma talked to her low and hypnotising and she felt herself being drawn deeper and deeper into her web, she was blinking tiredly.

Lily was watching this with horror, Lauren seemed to be physically shrinking before her eyes. "Lauren?" she asked as her eyes seemed to growing dimmer, like they were glazed over.

Emma sat back smiling happy at what she'd just done. Lauren who had been a tower of strength before was now slumped, face completely blank. "Not so strong then Lauren?" Emma laughed and shook her head. "I thought you'd changed back to being my Lauren again but no you stayed true to form and proved how weak you truly are!" Emma hissed her tone laced with disgust.

Lily had no idea how to help so she did the only think she could do, she grabbed her sisters arm and dragged her form the room. The door closed blocking out Emma's high pitched laughter. Lauren was leaning against a wall head bowed breathing hard.

"Lauren?" Lily asked.

Laurens breathing was coming fast, her face was obscured and it seemed the only thing holding her up was the wall.

"Calm down and we'll go back in there yeah?" Lily suggested.

"I can't go back in there Lily." Lauren whispered, almost breathless like she'd had a panic attack.

"I need you in there!" Lily told her heatedly.

"She's in my head!" Lauren shouted. "She's always been there, I can't get away! You were right about everything ok. YOU WEE RIGHT!"

Lily felt no joy at being proved to be right, that didn't help the issue at hand. "She isn't in your head ok, she just knows what you are scared of. You're scared of her, admit it!"

"I'm not scared of her!" Lauren retorted instinctively. She faced her sister her face pale and eyes wide. Sweat coated Laurens forehead, she had been told never to show fear or admit it.

"You are Lauren." Lily told her softly. "It's written all over your face. You need to admit this to yourself,"

Lily immediately saw Lauren fighting to paint on a dismissive face. She closed her eyes trying to summon rage, anger, indifference every emotion she could think of. Her shoulders slumped defeated when the fear refused to budge she turned her back head hanging low. She tried to find it within her to spit a vehement reply but found that her voice refused to acquiesce "Wouldn't you be?" was her whispered reply. So low it was almost inaudible. "This woman was the star of my real life nightmare for far too long. Anytime I'm with her bad stuff happens, last time I saw this person she stabbed me and I think I actually died. I'm trying not to act like I don't care but all I can see in my head is the handle of the knife sticking out of my chest." pressed her fingers to the spot. "Right there. I can remember what it felt like as it went in and I can feel it as she pulled it out and…." she pressed her fingers to her eyes. "I'm trying to pretend that I don't care that its nothing but its all still there fresh….vivid….scary…And when she talks like that to me, so soft, like she cares I'm back there with her, in the surgery feeling the knife in my chest or in the cold dark room when she was telling me to hate our mum." Lauren released a heavy breath and swallowed hard. Tears fell by her fingers and her fists clenched trying to stem the flow but nothing worked and her head hung lower.

Lily went to her and spun her around. "It does matter, trying to pretend it doesn't matter is what SHE does. Not you. You're better than that." she promised.

"But…."

"No buts!" and put her hands around Laurens head so she looked at her. "I'm here with you, you're not alone with her anymore! We have no mum or dad to help us, this is something only we can do Lauren, me and you! We're twins and that means having the others back no matter what! She can hurt me and she can hurt you but she can't hurt both of us. We're in this together and we're going back in there and we're gonna get the answers we need to bring out mum home." her voice soft at the end. She released her sisters head and raised her hand. Lauren looked at her and Lily felt like she actually saw Lauren for the first time, all the cocky bravado was stripped away and she wasn't mouthy or uncaring, she was the quiet child who loved to sit quietly building sand castles on the beach. "I don't know if I can." she whispered.

Lily gestured to her hand. "Take it." Lily told her. "Mum let go of your hand, I won't."

Lauren wrapped her fingers around her sisters clenched fist and clutched it. "We're in this together." Lauren told her softly.

Lily nodded her agreement.

They turned to the door and Lauren raised her hand to open it, it hesitated in mid air trembling.

"She can't hurt you anymore." Lily whispered. "I'm here."

Lauren closed her eyes trying to convince herself, whispering something under her breath.

Fear was filling Lauren at the prospect of facing Emma after how easily she had dismantled her strength before. She was supposed to be the strong one, Emma said so…..

"What's bothering you?" Lily asked softly.

A door opened down the hallway and Mandy walked down obviously ready to put a stop to all this. Lily stepped in front of her knowing if she got within an inch of Lily she'd take her away and Lauren wouldn't look back. Lily needed her sister with her on this one! "We aren't done here yet!" Lily told Mandy coldly.

Mandy's eyes widened at her tone. Lily had never sounded so much like…..well Lauren before.

"We are going back in there."

"I don't know who you think you are pretending to be Lily but you aren't fooling anyone, least of all me. I watched you grow up and this act, isn't you!"

"Listen!" Lily snapped. "I was just given a blow by blow account of everything that has been kept from me my whole life, it would have nice to go in there with a little bit of preparation you know, so don't presume to tell me how I feel right now and don't try to tell me WHO I am ok! I know full well!"

"Lily calm down, you're angry ok I get that, but you aren't going back in there. I saw both of you fall apart in there so NO way! Look at your sisters face Lily, you CAN'T take her in there. Emma will only finish the job she started! Is getting your mother back worth risking your sister over? Really?"

"WE will get mum back without….."

"Right now you only want your mum back so you can have a go at her for lying to you! I told you before everything which was kept from you was to keep you safe!"

"It didn't do Lauren any good did it? Why should I have been safe when every day she was getting hurt in some way…." the rage within Lily simmering under the surface. "Now I know why you didn't want me in there, it wasn't to protect me, it was to protect the lies. You should have told me! Everyone said she would use anything…."

"Yeah I should have told you but first it wasn't my place, its your mum and dads business not mine and to be honest I was so bloody busy trying to keep on top of everything that…." she rubbed her head hard like it could dislodge some of the clutter in there.. "So yeah, you went in unprepared and I'm sorry but I can't let you go back in there."

"I'm going….."

"You want your mum back? Well I know what she would want and she'd want both of you safe and well when she gets home! If it came to both of you mentally scared or her home she'd stay away willingly!"

"NO!" Lily told her breathing heavily almost shakig with her anger.

Mandy glanced at Lauren and lowered her voice. "Lily you need to calm down." she murmured.

"Don't try…."

"Lauren doesn't need to see this right now!" Mandy hissed.

Lily lowered her head ran a hand through her hair and exhaled audibly, two more times followed and when she faced Mandy she was the calm individual Many knew, until you saw the fire that flamed in within her eyes. She knew this was a bloody bad idea! Was in written into Alice's genes which she passed on to her kids to not listen to her? Didn't they know she was the voice of reason?

"Mandy we need her home and unless we find out where she is then all this has been for nothing, everything I was told was for nothing and Lauren….." trailing off.

"You assume she will tell you anything!"

"Lauren was getting there…."

"Until Emma found a way to hurt her again!" Mandy interrupted. "Neither one of you can go in alone and Lauren is in no state to go back in there! Someone has to look out for your best interests and enough has been taken from the both of you without this! Lily look at your sister!" Mandy stressed.

Lily turned her head and studied Lauren, she stood to the side not saying a word, which wasn't her, to be honest Lily wasn't even sure she was listening, it was almost like she was lost. She looked bloody terrible! "And mum?" Lily asked Mandy. "What about her? This is our only chance!"

"No it isn't. Let the police do their job! Take Lauren in there like this and Emma will break her and love it! I refuse to risk you both any more."

Lily felt the frustration bubbling inside her, looked at Lauren and saw her nodding, almost like she was answering someone. She said Emma was in her head…..did she mean like literally? LIly suiddenly felt like she was having an epiphany right there! "Lauren what is Emma saying? The Emma in your head?"

Mandy looked at her "What?"

"Lauren is Emma telling you to be strong? To pretend not to care? To not show that your afraid?"

Lauren swallowed.

"What does mum say when your scared or pretending to be tough?"

Lauren remembered admitting to her mum that she was scared, her mum was with her, 'There's nothing wrong with being afraid.'

"When mum gets hone you won't be afraid anymore because me and mum and dad will help you but I need you to be strong for me a little bit longer ok?" Lauren looked at her. "I can't do this without you but we CAN do this together."

Hearing her mothers words helped drown out Emma's voice and although she could hear Emma it wasn't as loud anymore. One Emma she could handle, but two…..before Mandy could stop her Lauren had her hand on the door handle and walked into the room.

Lily grinned over joyed, then put her hand on Mandy's chest stopping her.

"You have no idea what's just happened." Mandy told her

"Just ten more minutes, I'll get her out of there if we need to ok? I'm her big sister and taking care of her like my dad told me to."

'Lily I need you." she heard Lauren shout mentally and nodded.

"She's asked for me…."

"But she didn't say a word…."

Lily smiled at her. "We're twins."

"I'm at this door, if I hear anything….." Mandy warned.

Lily ignored her and walked in behind Lauren. Saw her sat there facing Emma and the cocky face she'd wore before was adorned on her face, if a little unsteady. Lily stood behind her and Lauren was buoyed.

"…not scared of me anymore then Lauren. Think I'm gonna enjoy this." Emma said.

Lily looked at the window in warning having seen the handle of the door turn. Then she sat down.

"No," Lauren told her simply. "I am scared of you."

"I told you NEVER to admit stuff like that!" the shock on Emma's face almost comical had it not been for the situation.

"Admitting I'm scared of you isn't a bad thing Emma. Admitting at one point in my life I loved you isn't bad either."

"Mums gonna love hearing that one isn't she? Will she still love you for admitting that I wonder."

"Well wonder, coz we know the truth." Lily interjected.

"She speaks, having proven Lauren isn't strong it now falls on you to pretend I see? C'mon then Lily gimme your best shot, you tried to before. I'm sure Lauren will let you this time."

Lily laughed. "Oh you're so cliché its laughable. Sorry I really shouldn't laugh. Go on Lauren, this is your show." knowing that Lauren needed to say some stuff, even if they didn't get their mum back it still meant Lauren had this chance.

"For seven years of my life you were all I had and in some ways I am only here who I am because of you. Mum and dad made in the fundamental sense but in every other way I was yours. I AM yours."

Emma smiled like Lauren admitting that was her final victory.

"But what you did to me was wrong." Laurens voice was now deadly cold. "Especially after what happened to you."

Emma was now confused.

"How did it feel when your dad abandoned you? How did it feel to be bullied and persecuted for something beyond your control? I know you spent your time alone feeling sad and unloved, then something inside you changed and then you got angry. But you couldn't blame the ignorant people so you find someone to blame and who else but the person who you thought caused your pain. You took me using my mum as the cause, an innocent five year old on the beach while I was playing in the sea with my mum and building sand castles with my dad, you took me from everything I knew and tried to change me like you changed, you tried to make me angry and it worked. I got home though and mum helped me with the anger, but its still there I can feel it sometimes, a hate so intense its almost pure." Lauren looked at her sadly. "I've tried to blame you, I could, for everything you've done to me, I've tried to hate you but I can't. You were my mum." Lauren cleared her throat and shook her head for some reason full of emotion. She rubbed her eyes. "Look I'm not gonna carry on with all this emphatic crap right coz its patronising." trying to steer this isn't less painful grounds. She hadn't meant to say what she did and didn't want to think about how she felt about it. "I don't know fully what you went through, but maybe I have an idea, you brought me up after all. Right now we'll lay all our cards on the table. You think you should be hating my mum but you are wrong, the person you should hate is the man who provided your dad with the means to leave you. The man who used you all along. We're the same Emma, we were both used, only difference is, I knew it."

Emma sneered, the next words from Laurens mouth floored her.

"He's the man who saved my life."

Emma paled. "He wouldn't! He….."

"He what Emma." Lauren asked. "He cared about you like you cared about me?" Lauren made a questioning gesture. "You got something quite right, I was in a bad way when you left me. I held my breath and pretended to be gone and you left me. I got some bandages from the cupboard and went into the office where my mum found me so no you weren't there when I….died….it was my mum. My real mum. After that I don't know but later I woke and I have flashes of some one, doctors in coats and someone else. I can describe him to you if you like."

Emma's face was different, almost considering.

"You wondering why he would save me? He saved my life so my mum would love him, trust him. He didn't hate her like he claimed, he loved her. He used your dad to get to her and when that didn't work he used you." Lauren leaned in. "We're the same Emma."

You think I believe you?" Emma spat. "He told me that I could hurt Alice as much as I wanted as long as HE could finish her and as for you? He told me he didn't care! I could kill you if I wanted!"

"And he was on hand waiting to save me? By chance did you tell him what you planned to do?" Lauren asked.

Sge could tell by the broken expression on Emma's face that she had.

"Who else could have helped her Emma?" Lily asked softly.

"And why am I still here when I shouldn't be? Who had access to that kind of money and resources?" Lauren added.

Emma shook her head trying vainly not to believe, even though all the evidence pointed to it.

"Don't tell me whe he is for me Emma, do it for you. This is finally your chance for real revenge. To put him where he'll never get what he wants." Lauren coaxed gently.

"But Alice…."

"You took Lauren away from us for seven years. Those seven years are yours now, not hers. Seven years where she called you mum, loved you and hated her. Nothing you could ever do to Lauren, me, mum or dad will ever change that." Lily told her. "You have your revenge. You broke our mums heart for seven years."

Emma sat there quiet for so long that Lauren and Lily thought they had failed.

"I don't know where he is but I can give you a name, he's a biog shot, loaded, knows Alice personally, worked with her before." she said stonily.

Lily and Lauren sat up straighter.

"His name is….."

**A/N Lauren had Emma on the run for a while there but Emma once again beat her****…****for a little while. I love writing a vulnerable Lauren because you never see it  
Lily needed to prove that although maybe not as strong as Lauren she is strong in so many different ways, already there seems to be something different around her she needs her mum  
And I knew there was a reason why Emma had to stay alive, I knew it but I didn't know why…my mind works in weird ways lol  
I dunno about you reading it but I loved writing this chapter! My Fave line though has to be 'Mum let go of your hand, I won't'...awww Lily! Deep down she's still he old Lily x**


	35. It Was All You?

Alice had remained in the locked bathroom a while, with no one to talk to or nothing to do all she could do was sit on the closed toilet pondering her thoughts. A prevalent feature was her wish to be able to bathe in private, at this point she would sell her soul for the chance. She had washed as best she could but without taking any clothes off it was nigh on impossible. Hopefully after this she would get the chance not only to wash in private but be free of this nutter once and for all! She was getting out of here or she'd die trying, her sanity wasn't gonna last forever if she stayed locked in that room! If she was being completely honest she was beginning to wonder whether the voice was real or a figment of her imagination, I mean this could be a really vivid hallucination…..she couldn't remember taking any medication lately and she'd never took drugs so what could be? Fumes off something maybe?

Exhaling heavily she took stock of what she was wearing, it was the dress he had left for her, her feet were bare. He had put shoes in the box but she had told him that she couldn't wear them as they were too tight and hurt her feet. To be fair they fit her perfectly but if she needed to run she didn't want to have to do it in heels. She could, having been taught how to do it in a film she starred in but she didn't want to be concentrating on where to put her feet when she was trying to get out of there.

She had been thinking continually the last three days and she had a fair idea of who this guy was, after everyone she thought through only one person stuck out…. Austin Bailey, simply because as far as she knew she was the one and only person who had said no to him. He wasn't married and had more money that was sane! Maybe he was still angry at her for rejecting him, fourteen years was abit excessive to be holding a grudge but it could be possible! Who knew how men's minds worked and if a person was willing to lock someone in a tiny room with cameras watching them, then claim to love them then they couldn't be altogether sane could they?

She really hoped her girls were ok and Danny too. He had to still be alive, she'd know it if he died, he was that much a part of her she would feel it…..or maybe that was wishful thinking on her part. What was she going to do if he was dead? What about her girls? Ok they had Mandy but they needed their dad. And she didn't know how to go on without him, didn't even want to contemplate it! She had never loved anyone like she loved Danny, and probably never would again. She and Danny somehow just seemed to fit each other, like they had been specifically made for the other. "Danny I love you so much!" she whispered. "I miss you and I wish I was home with you right now."

The disjointed voice floated across the air to her. "Talking to yourself Alice? First sign of madness you know."

He'd know all about madness... She bit back the retort. "No, I just really miss Danny right now." she murmured eyes filled with sadness unable to mask it the feeling so intense.

Alice knew she said the wrong thing when she could almost feel his anger through the microphone, "You are here with me you don't have to miss him!"

Again she bit back another retort, this one a rather forceful 'I don't love you!' she settled for "I know," the safety of her girls at the forefront of her mind. "But he's still my husband, you can't expect me to forget him right away, we have children, been together a long time….." a lump lodged in her throat. "How do you forget that?"

"Even though he cheated on you?"

Alice clenched her jaw, he was baiting her to see how she'd react, and right now she wanted to scream and rage but she bit her tongue. Stabbing this bastard with the glass was gonna be a pleasure. At first she thought it might be hard but the more he provoked her the easier he was making it!

"I understand." he said pretending like he hadn't insulted her husband. Obviously happy she hadn't tried to defend Danny in any way.

If he thought that meant she loved or trusted Danny less in any way then he was a bigger fool then she thought, still she had to play along. "Have you ever loved anyone like that?"

"Once, in high school." he admitted.

"What happened?" Alice asked sitting up straighter.

"Doesn't matter." the lock clicked. "In you go."

She left the bathroom and her stomach plummeted at the sight which greeted her. Candles had been set up everywhere and there were rose petals on the bed, the covers turned back, almost beckoning her in…Oh My God! There was a table set for one by the TV, in the middle sat a candle. The meal awaiting her. She ignored the sickened feeling in her stomach at the implications of the room set up like this, it was like a seduction….she had to get the hell out of here NOW!

"Would you like to take a seat Miss Collins?" the voice asked.

"Mrs Trev…." she bit back the rest knowing not to anger him. Her girls….

"What was that Alice?" he asked a knowing tone to his voice.

"Nothing." and she exhaled.

"Hope you like duck." he told her gently as she sat down.

She'd never been partial to it…."That's wonderful thank you." she picked up her cutlery. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"What do you plan on doing with me?" she asked looking up at the TV and the silhouette of a man sat there.

"What do you mean?" he asked softly.

"Well I'm just sort of down here alone, all day."

"I still don't understand."

"Well do I get to meet you? Face to face?"

"Oh." he was silent a moment. "Soon," he answered. "Very soon."

"What's your name?" she followed quickly.

He was still quiet and Alice wanted to fist the lace clothe under her plate with frustration, she worked to keep her face neutral. "Tell me about the girl you loved in high school. If I'm gonna be here with you forever I'd like to get to know you a little." she told him placing abit of duck in her mouth….it was overcooked and very chewy.

"She was very beautiful." he told her gently. Alice nodded raising a forkful of vegetables to her mouth.

"Big blue eyes and straight black hair." he added.

The fork froze in midair. She tried to look interested but she was seriously creeped out!

"Most of the guys around her liked her, everyone trying to get with her but she didn't really pay anyone any attention. She had her best friend and the one thing she loved more than anything else. No one got close."

"She didn't know what she was missing." Alice told him. "You seem like a nice guy," well apart from the kidnapping and the whole lotta crazy!

"You think so?" he probed.

She shrugged.

"I think you're right."

"Do you know where she is now?"

"Married with a couple of kids. Twins actually, the daughter is like her clone!"

Alice froze.

"And her one true love I spoke about, it was acting…"

"Did you go to school with me?" she asked quickly.

"…..Her best friend was called Amanda Barry and we all lived in Glasgow." he finished.

Shit! He was talking about her! Her mind began racing through all the boys in her school, Austin now totally out of the picture. Something occurred to her then. "If you're from Glasgow then where is your accent? It was a hard accent to completely lose, there was always traces, especially in natural conversation and she heard his real voice when he came in after she smashed the TV and there was nothing!

"I'm not originally from Glasgow, my family moved up for about nine months then we went on to Cardiff and then back down to London. You were kind to the new boy who everyone hated. You stopped the boys from beating me up one day in the park remember?"

Alice searched her memory, an image came to her of a scrawny boy with a crooked smile and spectacles. "Are you Brandon? Brandon Hardwick?"

"I don't go by that name anymore, my new name is much more recognisable." he told her.

"How have you been?" she asked trying to get him to tell her more.

"Busy." he told her coldly. "Biding my time waiting for the day I could be close to you again. I almost had you! Fourteen years ago before Danny stole you from me!"

It was Alice's turn to be confused. "What? I wasn't dating anyone back then….." She had been Danny's pretty much from the moment she met him!

"Alistair! I was supposed to save you from him and you'd realise how you felt about me but then he went rogue and tried to kill you, I never wanted you hurt Alice, please believe me."

"How did you know about…wait a minute did you help him get to me?" she gasped. "Is it all because of you?"

"He had a little bit of help off me but he was gonna do it anyway, this way I was protecting you, like you protected me. I knew when he'd move in and stop him!" he tried to convince her.

Alice fought the rage burning hot inside her, didn't he know what she went through coz of him? Had Alistair been left to it the police would have caught him in no time!

"I told him to leave you alone after he blew up your trailer but he refused, he stopped taking my calls after that I found out he tried to burn the house down! I was told by Du Plessis that you were dead!"

Alice frowned.

"And I got you those bodyguards for on set to make sure he didn't hurt you."

Alice dropped her fork finally realising who he was, "Colin?" He said nothing but Alice would bet her life he was smiling from ear to ear. "Well?" she asked. "Am I right are you Colin Little?"

"Do you think I'm this Colin?" he asked refusing to commit himself to anything. "Did he resemble Brandon Hardwick?"

Alice frowned, to be honest no, he didn't resemble him and Colin had been married, or so she had thought, no one had really met his wife before….and as for Brandon he could be using contacts instead of glasses and they were kids back then plus there was the connection with the set too. "It is you Colin, it has to be. You were the one who sorted the bodyguards and wouldn't allow Danny on set after the fire. I know I asked you to do that but you agreed readily and if I remember correct you were happy about it too!"

"Eat up your meal Alice its getting cold."

His words reminded her of her original plan, she was all the more eager to get out of here now, God knew what he planned for her now she actually knew him. The mask was off, charade over and he may step things up….and she couldn't cope with that, she wasn't strong enough! So setting her plan into motion she picked up her cutlery, sliced a piece of meat.

"All I wanted back then was you, don't you remember I acted indifferent when you came to me about your stalker and moving to Leopards Den? You should have known you weren't in danger, I was there keeping you safe! And when we were kids all you wanted to do was act. It was then I knew how to get close to you, I learned to be a director, I was no good at acting, not like you."

Alice was about to give him a live show of just how good she was! She stabbed a bite of duck, placed it in her mouth and chewed diligently. As she swallowed her eyes widened and she began to cough and splutter. She inhaled deeply, faking a wheezing sound.

"Alice?" Colin yelped. "Are you ok?"

She was now on her feet beating her chest, other hand flapping pretending to she couldn't breath. Her head was bowed and she began to wobble unsteadily.

"I'll get help!" he promised.

Alice collapsed over the table and kept her breathing as shallow as possible, faking that she had choked. The door opened and someone ran in to help her. As soon as they were over her she threw her head back and hit someone square in the face. There was a yelp and someone jumped back. Alice wasted no time, she got up and dashed towards the open door rooting around in her dress for her glass.

She left the room and was in a dark corridor, one end was a dead end and the right led towards some stairs. Her hand closed around the glass, with a tight grip on it she ran for the stairs taking them two at a time. She was assuming the man she hit wasn't Colin and might not pursue her. She reached the door at the top of the stairs, pulled it open and surged into an opulent living room. Colin Little stood at the patio doors looking at her. He wore dark blue jeans and a black turtle neck jumper looking exactly like he had when they made Living and Loving Dangerously. Her eyes never leaving his she rounded a sofa giving herself some space between the her prison door and her, she'd hate for his little doctor friend to come out and incapacitate her from behind. This was her best chance of getting out of here and she refused to waste it!

"I'm leaving here today Colin, whether you like it or not!" she told him, fingers flexing around her weapon, the glass at the ready for if he charged at her.

He shook his head, almost like she had given him a choice. "I can't let you do that Alice, I've waited too long and planned to much to lose you again. This time you're mine!" although his voice was reasonable his eyes shone with an unnatural light. It seemed he fully believed what he was saying, that he actually could hold her against her will.

"I'm not yours to keep! I was never yours to lose!" she spat. "You can't just hold someone against their will, it isn't fair!"

"NO!" he roared. "What isn't fair is that you never gave me a chance!" his spittle showering the floor. "Ever since the day you took me home after those boys hurt me I tried and tried to show you how I felt but you didn't care! You didn't listen so I learned how to be a director just for the chance to get close to you so you'd realise you loved me! Then I waited almost ten years and I had my chance. I recommended you for Living and Loving Dangerously, I fought for you as they wanted someone else! I even recommended Austin Bailey knowing you'd hate him. But I knew you'd enjoy working with me and we'd slowly get close! But NO! You had to go and fall for that Trevanion man! Remember I told you to pretend to fall for him, it was a JOKE!" he was shaking with anger now. "That was why I had to chain you in that cage with the lion, I had to teach you a lesson…"

"That was Alistair….."

Colin shook his head vigorously, "He took the credit but that one was me. I saw the both of you come out of your trailer and I hated that you were hurting me like that! Tell me Alice if it was Alistair, why the note? He'd never sent one before had he?"

Alice's head was spinning, everything was him? Or some of it possibly? Or was it all Alistair?

"It was him who tried to blow up your trailer. I originally helped him get on set, it isn't as easy as he made it look. He had help…."

As he paced Alice let him rant and began to edge slowly towards the door, his head was down as he spat so much rubbish... she didn't even breath hard knowing any sound would alert him. His head snapped up suddenly and he saw her movement and strode towards her, eyes black with hate. "I won't let you go!" he hissed, face contorted voice full of malice.

"Well I'm not staying! I need to get back to Danny and my girls." moving herself away to a safe distance.

He saw the way she moved away from him and read the slight fear in her face, and softened his voice trying to convince her. "He can't love you like I can. Anything you want is yours!" he promised his face beseeching.

"I want Danny!" she told him defiantly chin held high. "I love Danny and it doesn't matter what you say or do nothing will change that. It's always been Danny ever since the day I have set foot on Leopards Den." her face was full of hate now. "And I loathe you for what you have done to him just because he loves me!"

That line seemed to enrage him and Colin lunged at her. Alice, startled by the speed and intensity of his attack was still for a moment, it was a moment too long and he rugby tackled her stomach. They fell backwards and the wind was knocked out of her. As his bulk crushed her, her hand opened and her glass fell to the floor. Immediately her hands rushed to his face and she clawed at his eyes he grasped her wrists and pinned them above her head. She glared up at him yanking her arms as hard as she could. Colin had her in a unyeilding grip.

"Do you know what I have sacrificed for you?" he spat. "Do you know how many times I could have been married if it hadn't been for you?"

"You were married it was well publicised."

"She was second best to you, I only married her because she found out about my love for you and was going to tell the police about me helping Alistair."

"Well you should have let her tell and left me alone!" she struggled more. "Did her actions not tell you it was wrong?" she was under no impression that he felt what he did was justified.

"It was all right, my wife had a little skiing accident after eighteen months of marriage, not long after I finished the movie actually…."

Alice looked up at him jaw slack. That little accident didn't sound very accidental the way he said it. Dear God! Every thing she had to go through now and he adds that onto her already overburdened conscience. "Why couldn't you have left me alone!" she shouted trying her hardest to move but he was above her straddling her hips. "I was happy!" she shouted tears popping in her eyes, as quick as the tears came so did the anger "I WAS BLOODY HAPPY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE!" she kicked her legs trying to flip him. "Then you pay someone to take my child away, my baby girl! And now you keep me prisoner away from the people I love, people who need me! how can you claim to love someone and do that to them! That isn't love, and it ISN'T WHAT DANNY AND I SHARE!"

"I'll kill them Alice!" he hissed. "I'll fucking kill them all!" his voice dangerously close to losing it.

"My friend will be aware of you now, she isn't stupid. You sent someone after my girls then stopped them. No one will get within a million miles of them now!" she crowed triumphant. "She'll do anything to keep them safe, including flying them out of the county if she has to!"

Colin's rage built and built until he reached his threshold. "If all this is true, he you refuse to stay and do as I say, if I can't get your girls and if you don't love me, if its truly Danny who owns your heart then what is the point of keeping you alive? I may as well get rid of you right now! You pretended to be choking before, lets see how you like the real thing. Colin slowly wrapped two hands around her throat. By increments the pressure increased…..

* * *

Emma had informed Lily and Lauren that the name of the man they wanted was named Brandon Hardwick. They were running his name through the database and had in the UK as well as Africa. Neither one had a known address for him. Lily had goggled his name as all sorts popped up, lots of pictures of a director. Lauren looked at the phone frowning. Mandy spotted the face recognised the name and jumped.

"Its him!" she shouted.

The police took the phone and noticed the name Colin Little.

"She worked with him a few years ago!" Mandy told them. "Just check to see if he's here!"

They ran the name Colin Little and an address in the expensive area of Jo'burg popped up. Everyone was in motion. Mandy wanted to wait back with the kids but Lily and Lauren wanted to follow this through to the end. Mandy knew they were running on pure adrenaline and were gonna crash soon, she'd much prefer for this to happen at home but the girls were adamant they would find a way to follow the police be it legal or illegal, and follow their mum that way. What could she reply to that? Ok then, go steal a car? And she had to remember that these girls were Alice's kids so God knows what they'd do. Stealing a car would be far too easy for them! So here they were Mandy weaving in and out of traffic, no doubt earning an untold amount of fines as she sped along just so they didn't lose the police. They screeched to a halt outside of a house…..Mandy's jaw dropped,…more like a bloody mansion, the place was huge! The police were running towards it guns drawn. They kicked the door down and disappeared inside. Lily and Lauren reached for the door but Mandy used the child lock and kept them there.

"Wait!" she told them.

No matter how much they fought they weren't opening.

Mandy!" Lily growled.

"No! You'll wait here!" refusing to budge.

"Like hell!" Lauren declared, rolled down her window and before Mandy could grab her ankle she landed on her hands and feet and ran up the driveway towards the house. The front door and hallway were a blur as she sped inside. A living room came into view, police milling around. A man face down on the floor, his hands cuffed….. And her mother lain half on her side face away from her, arms splayed haphazardly by her sides, completely limp and unmoving…..

**A/N ahhhh so it was Colin the director, i had played aorund with it being austin but he could have anyone and didn't really seem possible but Colin, it just seemed to fit.  
Anyway sorry for the sporadic updates, i have alot of this written, still not over yet, still some more to come.  
AND i regarding Opp Att, i went to write that the other day and found that ALL my notes on it have disappeared so i'm back at the drawing board i have a fair idea of where i'm going but i need to flesh it out a little bit so sorry for the lack of update, i'm trying honest lol :) x**


	36. Is It All Over?

Lauren stood stock still staring at the figure of her mum, she couldn't fully understand what she was seeing I mean why hadn't her mum got up yet? Why was she just lying there so still? This was another set up wasn't it? Just like Emma had been….While her mum lay unmoving a loud buzzing filled her ears followed by a mans voice. She turned her head slightly and seen who must be Colin Little pinned to the floor, his mouth was moving, he seemed to be laughing... he wouldn't be laughing long, her mum was gonna get up any second now….really, any second…. She began to decipher his words, seconds later their meaning came to her.

"Mum and dad!" he crowed over and over. "Mum AND dad."

Lauren shook her head. "No." was a whisper, louder and louder until her she couldn't even her own thoughts over her screams.

Minutes Earlier

Alice clawed at the hands around her throat, he was strong, completely focused and Alice slowly began to realise that there was no getting out of this one, after everything she had been through and survived it seemed she had ran out of luck. The breath was slowly being stolen from her body and there was nothing she could do to stop it, she couldn't remove his hands from her neck, he was too strong. She had tried to punch and hit but found it wasted precious air. Her throat was hoarse and there were lights dancing in front of her eyes, the panic she began to feel at being unable to breath was slowly disappearing leaving a warmth in its wake. Whereas her throat had been screaming for air now there was a tingling sensation, her head growing lighter.

The hands and arms which she had used to try and give herself some relief from his unyielding hands felt like dead weights and they fell to the floor. She tried to order them to get back up again, they lifted slightly before falling limply to the floor, again she tried, this time refusing to obey at all, her eyes began to blink slowly. She felt his hands clutch her throat tighter and she gasped vainly for more air. His brown eyes were glowing with hatred and his mouth was moving rapidly, spitting some sort of insults at her. She was in doubt as to now being her end and she didn't want his face to be the last one she seen so she closed her eyes and thought of her family.

She thoughts of Danny's face, the first time he saw her, the first time he smiled at her, the first time he told her he loved her, the first time she realised that he truly did love her, the time she joked about him being her chauffer and him turning up in one of their suits, their wedding day, their honeymoon. Danny's face when she told him they were going to have a baby the sheer wonderment and awe, his overjoyed face when he learned it was twins. The night their girls were born his face tired, eyes full of happy tears as he cradled a daughter in each arm unable to stop looking at them. She thought of Lily's giggle and Lauren's sarcastic laugh, spending time the four of them a family…..darkness began to descend and she welcomed it. Wrapped it around herself like an impenetrable shield. Behind this Alistair couldn't hurt her, behind this Colin couldn't, behind this she was free…..

As she let go she didn't hear the men burst into the room. Didn't feel Colin as he was yanked off her, or the soft hand on her neck feeling for a pulse…..but she did hear her daughters agonised scream and for that she roused.

"MUM!" Lauren was yelling as she jumped over the sofa on her knees by her mums side shaking her shoulders. "C'mon mum wake up please, we need you!" tears falling swiftly.

Alice forced her eyes to open and swallowed grimacing as he throat protested, she immediately saw terrified green eyes. She found the strength to lift her hand and cup her daughters cheek. "I'm ok sweetheart." her voice rough and raspy sounding so unlike her own.

Lily came in quickly followed by Mandy. Lily went to her mum and Alice sat up hugging both her daughters vowing never to let either go again.

Mandy was just watching the scene relief filling her, until Colin was on his feet promising retribution. She felt her fists clench and she walked towards the officers restraining him and before anyone could stop her swung her fist smashing it in his face, she didn't even feel the bones in her hand cracking before doing it again. An officer flew across the room grabbed her by the arms and pulled her away, Mandy's feet kicking out trying to get at Colin. It seemed she had finally hit her limit.

"Do you realise what you've put Alice and her kids through?" she raged as she was pulled towards the stairs away from Colin's whose face was spewing blood. Her ranting slowly getting quieter.

Alice and the twins watched this with interest.

"She told us not to hurt anyone!" Lauren murmured.

"If I know your auntie Mand she told you that so you wouldn't get in trouble." a hand on both of her daughters cheeks. "Didn't mean she wouldn't want a swipe at them herself." unable to tear her eyes away from her daughters.

* * *

After being driven to hospital and thoroughly checked over by doctors Alice was given a clean bill of health. Everything had happened so fast after Colin had been taken. The police had came over and helped her up asking if she needed an ambulance. Alice had shook her head but they still insisted on taking her to hospital. After being taken outside she saw her best friend sat on some gravel hands cuffed behind her back. The officer refusing to release her until A Colin was completely out of the area and B she promised to stay calm. Mandy was reluctantly agreeing and he uncuffed her, when she saw her friend she hurried over and hugged her tight.

They were taken to hospital. Mandy's hand looked broken but she promised to not leave the girls side until Alice was seen to, the girls couldn't remain with her as the doctors were going to be no doubt asking questions she didn't want her daughters hearing. Alice just wanted to speed through this eager to get back to her girls. She wasn't sure she'd ever feel comfortable leaving them again!

As she'd been being seen she had hounded doctors with questions about Danny. They had assured her he was alive, which had prompted her to burst into tears, when she stopped crying they refused to answer or evaded every other question she asked and she was suspicious. Something was wrong with Danny and she wanted to know right now! She had right as his wife to know! How she knew something was wrong was that he wasn't here with her nothing short of…it finally hit her, Colin hadn't totally lied to her, Danny HAD been hit on the head and probably had some sort of traumatic brain injury. She halted the doctor who was prodding her arm trying to find a vein. "Take me to my husband." she demanded, using the superior spoiled actress voice she NEVER used.

"Mrs Trevanion….."

She looked him in the eye, "He's in a coma isn't he?"

The doctor looked away momentarily and Alice had all the information she needed.

"I told you to take me to him right now!" she ordered loosing her patience.

"I'll fetch a nurse when I've finished my obs….."

Alice jumped down from the bed an headed for the door.

"Mrs Trevanion…." he spluttered.

Alice strode from the room, he wouldn't do as she asked so she'd find someone who would. She found Mandy and her girls down the hall, Mandy's hand and wrist in cast.

"Don't worry I didn't leave them!" Mandy assured. They stayed with the technician while I was x-rayed, so no they won't be glowing.

Alice nodded. "Do you know where Danny is Mand?"

"Two floors up room 607."

Alice nodded and hugged her briefly. "Thanks. Take these two home for me….."

"But mum!" they chorused.

"No buts girls, I'll see you both later." kissed each one slowly. "Go home, eat, have a bath and relax. I'll see you before you go to sleep." she promised. "I just really need to see your dad right now."

"Ok mum." Lily agreed.

Lauren however wasn't too sure.

"I'll be fine Lauren." Alice told her pulling her close for a hug. She just couldn't seem to stop hugging them. It may be because she knew this was the calm before the storm. She had things to explain to both of them and that wasn't going to be easy, everyone was just relieved right now but when those feelings of relief disappeared everything that was festering underneath would be unleashed and she wasn't looking forward to that! So she'd get in enough hugs now to get through that time.

Lauren nodded understanding and Mandy led them outside while Alice made the trek to see Danny.

* * *

Lauren sat on her bed in the room she and Lily shared at Mara. Night had fallen and the resort was uncharacteristically quiet. It was a cloudless night and the moon shined big and bright surrounded by what seemed like a million stars. The bedroom window was open a slight breeze circulating, the room filled with the scent of flowers and night…..Mara didn't smell like home, it was funny how used she had got used to it. She had even noticed it until it was gone.

Mandy had left a guard with her and Lily while she went to Leopards Den and collected some clothes for them. She had asked if they wanted to go. Lily hadn't wanted to go so Lauren had told Mandy she would stay with her. She was sat in bed shorts and a t-shirt, the food Mandy had brought in for her an hour ago untouched. It was only a sandwich and a glass of milk but she couldn't bring herself to eat it.

It felt like ever since she had returned to South Africa she'd had to keep up with or even stay one step ahead of Emma. First with hating her mum and then for loving her. Now Emma was in prison, as was the man who helped her, it seemed that she, Lily and her mum and dad could for the first time in her lifetime were actually safe, after all this time…..so why did she feel so bad?

She drew her legs unto her chest resting her chin on her knees. She and Lily had tried to stay close since the Emma fiasco, so many things hanging in the air between them unsaid. Lauren herself was struggling with things, she hated that Emma still had the power to make her feel like the frightened five year old who wanted her mother, all she had to do was mention the word dark and Lauren was a bag of nerves, the more she said the single word the worse she had felt. She hated even more that thinking of the past and her time with Emma caused panic to begin clawing at her throat.

As silence reigned she forced herself to think of that day, it had been sunny, warm…..it occurred to her then that she didn't even know the date or the day. For some reason she hated Tuesdays so maybe it was then? Who knew? I mean she was even assuming it was summer, maybe it wasn't, she was basing that purely on the fact it had been hot as to be honest in the UK even in summer hot days were a rarity! Her mind ran through what she remembered from her dream, how easy had it been for Emma to persuade her to go with her, her mum and dad had always told her to NEVER go with a stranger and she had literally let herself be taken by the hand and led away! The following days were hard to remember, sat alone in a dark room, still only wearing her pink bathing suit. Emma used to come in periodically, sometimes men came in too shouting scaring her cigarettes hanging out of their mouths. She used to sit there trembling with her hands over her ears just wishing for her soft spoken daddy to come and rescue her, to take her away from the scary men and promise her that no one would ever hurt her. Knowing that he hadn't came for her killed her inside, yeah she knew had he didn't know where she was he would have came and fought for her if he did, but knowing that he didn't know didn't make the reality of what she went through any easier to deal with. She could still hear her screaming when she was asleep, the tears never ending.

Then one day she just forgot them, or maybe she blocked it out or repressed it. Who knew? One minute her mum was Alice and she loved her and the next Emma was her mum and she hated Alice with everything inside her. Lauren couldn't pin point the exact day it happened, maybe it had been gradual, as the hope of someone coming to get her diminished so did her love for her mum until there was nothing left. All she did know of that time was that the first time she said she hated her mum something within her had died.

After that she had tried so hard to please Emma, thinking of new and inventive ways of getting to Alice just to gain approval. Did as she was told, became invisible when she had her men around so to not anger her. Endured every beating without shedding a tear in her presence. Emma had tried to mould her into her own image and Lauren was beginning to worry that she had did too good a job. She was terrified that one day she would look in the mirror and it wouldn't be her own reflection she saw but Emma's…

"You alright Lauren?" Lily asked putting her hand on her sisters arm. She had seen Laurens expression slowly changing from normal to worried to terrified.

Lily's damp hair hung around her shoulders. She hadn't even heard her enter the room. Lauren looked to her twin sister and at that moment she didn't feel like a twin at all, she felt lost and alone.

Lauren nodded slowly. "I'm ok." lowered her legs pushing her feet under her bed covers.

Lily knew that Lauren was lying but didn't want to press it. "Crazy day huh?" she asked sitting on the bed adjacent to Lauren.

"Just a little bit." Lauren drawled obviously lost in her own thoughts.

Silence fell and neither girl broke it, that is until a question which had been eating at Lily demanded to be asked. It had refused to leave her since Lauren said the words to Emma. "Lauren do you love Emma?" she asked simply.

Lauren bowed her head and exhaled heavily. "Don't ask me that Lils."

Lily sat up and crossed her legs. "I know its not what you want to hear and I know its not the best of questions at any time never mind what we have just been through its just….you said it and I'm….struggling with it….how….why….."

Lauren turned her head and looked at her sister, head still bowed and Lily saw the conflict in her eyes. "Are you sure you want to know?" she whispered.

"What….what do you mean?" Lily stammered.

"Well do you want the truth or do you want me to tell you the answer that you want to hear?" Lauren asked.

Lily frowned looking at her bedcovers. Part of her needed Lauren to tell her that no she hated Emma, always had and always will but then there would always be a part of that would wonder if Lauren was telling her the truth. "It depends on what the truth is doesn't it?" Lily replied softly.

Lauren closed her eyes trying to muster up the hate she once felt towards her mum and direct it to Emma…. There were so many things she wanted, she wanted to walk out of the room, there was no way she was going to be able to give Lily the answer she wanted to hear. She just wanted to run and not even contemplate answering this as truthfully, she didn't know how she felt about Emma. Regardless of what Emma did to her Emma had still raised her for seven years of her life, Danny and Alice only had her for five so Emma had been the main one for more that half of that time. She was confused about how she was supposed to feel and how she did. This woman kidnapped her, tortured her, tried to turn her against her own family had even tried to kill her for gods sake and yet still Lauren couldn't hate her.

"Lauren?" Lily coaxed. "Just tell me, whatever it is we'll get through it yeah?"

Lauren shrugged going for honesty and with her eyes glued to her bedspread she began to speak. "She raised me Lily, she was my mum for seven years…."

"No, mum is your mum!" Lily countered.

"Well I didn't know that did I?" she stood up, Lily just didn't understand, she hadn't lived it. "I knew this was a bad idea!"

Lily took her arm and sat her down, "I'm sorry I'll stay quiet. Just talk."

Lauren sat down, her whole body feeling heavy, her shoulders leaden she again bowed her head and ran a hand through her hair. The gesture was so much like their dad Lily had to withhold telling her that.

"I…I dunno what you want me to say Lily and I dunno if I want to tell you the truth." Lauren told her. "All I do know is that I don't know." she shook her head. "I know I should hate her!" her voice edged with the feeling. "I want to hate her, I should hate her with everything inside me after what she did but I can't!" she fisted her head in her hands. "So don't ask me if I love her coz…."

"Ok." Lily replied cutting her off. "What about mum? Do you love her?"

Lauren raised her head and answered without even having to think. "Completely."

"Then I don't get it, how can you love both of them?"

"Neither do I Lil's, think of it from my perspective though. Emma told me every day for seven years to hate our mum and we're not talking slight dislike here we are talking full on loathing her even planning for me to kill my own mother hate!"

Lily's eyes widened.

"Then I get here and I have Emma's voice in my head telling me to hate her, and I have this other little voice telling me Emma is wrong, mum is nice then I get my memories of our mum being kind and loving and I'm even more confused. And even now Emma is gone and here I am and I love out mum…." Laurens voice getting emotional. "But sometimes just for a second I feel that hate, I remember Emma and the feeling is so intense so familiar….." she exhaled obscuring her eyes. "It feels like going home Lily…" she raised her eyes to look at her sister and her eyes were haunted. "And I feel so guilty because I'm home and I'm hers and that other feeling shouldn't feel like home but it does!"

Lily's jaw was slack as she stared at her twin. "Do you….um….you wanna talk about it? Like the Emma stuff…." Lily asked hesitantly. "Maybe I could help."

"There is nothing to say Lily." Lauren shrugged. "Emma just has a permanent address right up here." and tapped her forehead.

"That's not true Lauren…."

"It is Lil's, really. Lets take the meeting as an example, she knew exactly what to say and do to make me that frightened five year old kid again. I don't want to be this person anymore but I can't stop it. Add that to the fact that I can't hate her and….."

"And what?" Lily whispered.

Lauren sat back on her bed feet on the mattress. "I think I'm turning into her Lily. Everything she told me everything I am, my front, my attitude, it all comes from her and how she brought me up. The things she'd find funny I laugh at, the foods she likes are my favourites. Even now she is controlling me from a prison cell. Christ look at how I dress, in your face, bright colours in my hair, torn clothes. How much of that is actually me and how much is that her planting ideas in my head? My subconscious mind needs to take a walk off a cliff!"

"It's got to be you though, I mean she couldn't control what you like!"

"Look at me, my bright hair I colour to make a bold statement. My clothes mirror my attitude. Mum and dad say I used to be quiet when I was little, I don't remember that, all I remember is making a scene, making myself be seen, making sure everyone knows that no one tells me what to do, I do what I want when I want to! I make an entrance now Lily. Everything I am now I get from her, if I'd stayed I'd be a different person."

"Ok, so you use the way you act as a means of setting relationship boundaries. It isn't surprising, you took control in the areas you could since you have spent so many years powerless. Your attitude protects you now like it couldn't back then! This you wouldn't walk off with Emma would she? You think you have changed so much? I don't, because I know you are at your happiest when you are on your own playing your guitar and that is who you are. Your attitude is only a tiny part of you!"

Lauren wasn't convinced, "Lily….."

Lily jumped off her bed and sat opposite her sister and took her hands in her own, she lowered her voice. "You could sit here and list gazillions of ways you aren't like Emma and you wouldn't believe it. I only need one though."

Lauren shook her head bowed, there was a gap in her hair and she looked at Lily, silently hoping that what she was about to say was as good as she seemed to think.

"You can't hate her." was all Lily said. It was a simple statement but the power it had on Lauren was staggering.

"I'd go as far as saying you feel sorry for her." Lily squeezed her hands as Lauren sat considering everything. "Emma is who she is because of hate. She hated our mum, and she probably hated our dad and she hated us just because we were born! That is why you are not and never will be her. You aren't capable of that much hate, that much I do know!"

Lauren bit her lower lip relief filling. She wasn't completely assured and she had many demons to fight before she was completely free of this fear but she had hope now and a dash of hope was better than being filled with despair.

"Thanks." she croaked.

Lily pulled her close and Lauren held on tight like if she let go a tidal wave would sweep her away. A tear fell and she tried to covertly wipe it away. "You're pretty amazing Lil you know that?"

Lily pulled back and grinned at her wide and real.

There was a soft knock at the door which broke the moment, their mum walked in.

"Just called in to say goodnight to you both." Alice told them noticing the emotion on each child's face. She had came straight from seeing Danny, her hair was scraped back and she had yet to shower or change yet.

Lily bounced off Laurens bed and onto her own. She slid beneath the covers lying down. Alice bent down and kissed her. "Goodnight Lily, love you always."

"Night mum." Lily replied. "Love you too."

Alice then went to Lauren, she was lain on her side looking out of the window. The shadows in her eyes evident. "Night Lauren, love you too, always."

Lauren nodded. "Good night mum, love you."

Alice sat down. "Are you ok?" pushed a lock of hair off her face gently.

Lauren shook her head. "Not right now." she admitted. "But I will be." she whispered.

"I'm here." Alice promised and kissed her forehead feather light.

"I know."

Alice closed the window and double checked the lock then headed for the door. "Love you both." she repeated. "Sleep tight."

They murmured their replies and the room was silent. Moments after the door was closed she heard Lily's voice reassuring Lauren. Alice rested her head against the closed door. They had each other now. She swallowed thickly and headed for her bedroom, she needed a shower.

**A/N now that it is all over Lauren is struggling, (loved writing that bit!) Emma is out of their life now the real work begins creating a normal life. **  
**I find it interesting the way lily reacts here as she finally begins to understand that all this could have been her had things been different.**  
**And Alice is home, haven't seen much of her this chapter but you see her feelings slowly unfolding, in coming chapters, her strengths and weaknesses put to the test AND I have a curveball coming later on something which will throw everyone out of kilter so stay tuned! x**


	37. Understanding Feelings

The resort was quiet as Alice headed towards the room she was occupying tonight, while walking she tried to not look too closely anywhere. This place not only held numerous memories of happy times with Danny but also sad times too, times where she came here to cry on her friends shoulder when they received another phone call from the police to say another lead about Lauren had dried up, times when she felt so useless as a wife and mother that she needed five minutes space and times when she came here just to visit her friend with her husband. One of the most prominent times though was the time she came to stay here all those years ago to film living and loving dangerously. How inadvertently Colin and Alistair had sent her to Danny…..and because of that he was seriously hurt in a coma possibly never to wake up.

As she arrived at her room she halted looking at the door, she didn't know why but she was wondering whether Colin or possibly one of his minions was on the other side waiting to take her back, she was finding it hard to believe that this was all over. She entered and found it empty….well not totally empty, Mandy had been back to Leopards Den and packed her a suitcase of things, it sat on her bed waiting for her….and she had to choke back tears, Mandy was the one person who'd been around for what felt like forever and even now she was still here doing things, even though Alice didn't really deserve her. To be honest Alice didn't know what she would do without her best friend, she was almost as much a part of her as Danny was. Alice opened her case and began pulling the clothes out and sorting them when a soft knock broke her thoughts. Alice ignored it and continued sorting, she didn't want to talk to anyone right now, she just wanted to be alone.

"Hope you're not naked in there mate coz I'm coming in." and Mandy opened the door. Alice craned her head and saw she was carrying a tray with mugs of hot chocolate. Mandy kicked the door closed and placed the tray on the bedside cabinet. She looked at the bed, moved the clothes Alice had sorted onto a chair and dropped down onto the bed. "Thought that might make you feel a little better." and nodded to the drink.

"Sorry Mandy I don't have the time." placed her chocolate down and picked up the black jumper from the pile Mandy had moved.

Mandy ignored this, got up, put her hands on her friends shoulders and sat her down. Handed her a mug and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. "You need to slow down for five minutes! You need this!"

"Danny is at hospital by himself!" she retorted trying to get back up.

Mandy pushed her back down gently. "No he isn't, I have made sure he hasn't been by himself the while time he's been in hospital. Same as the girls too now don't make me put you back down again, I'll do it!" Mandy's eyes glittering with promise.

Alice however was just confused, "Why?" she whispered. "Why do that for him, me?" Alice had felt like she had over processed recently and the smallest details were making no sense, like why Mandy went out of her way to be a good friend.

"What do you mean why?" Mandy laughed. "You're my sister, he's my brother, ok yeah an annoying brother but family non the less, I don't pelt everyone with snowballs you know." and sat beside her friend certain now she wasn't going to run off.

"You would if you could get away with it!" Alice told her.

Mandy once again handed her the drink Alice tried to discard and poured a liberal amount of whiskey in it. "Not much chance of that over here huh?"

Alice stared down into her mug.

"And you'd do the same for me." Mandy told her. "Anyway I'll get you a room closer to your girls tomorrow."

Alice shook her head. "This is fine." chewed her lip. "I um, I never thanked you for being there for them."

Again Mandy waved it off. "The girls are like second daughters to me like my boys are to you so don't mention it." and sipped her drink smiling when the whiskey hit the spot. "I'll let you get to sleep now, I'm down the hall if you need me, anytime, even if its three am."

Alice raised an eyebrow, "Anyone waking you at three am should fear for their life. Anyway I'm going to Danny."

Mandy rubbed her eyes, she knew this would happen. Alice was going to make herself ill making sure Danny was ok. "Ali you need to sleep, you've been through a lot and you need to at least try and let your body recover, if you don't you'll crash!"

"He needs me Mand." the words clipped.

"Yeah and I saw what you were like when you first got back, God I saw you when you in the house, I don't know if it occurs to you but you weren't moving! So you are going to get in bed and sleep!"

Hearing someone else trying to tell her what to do tipped Alice over the precipice she had barely been hanging onto, she had no idea what she was saying when she surged to her feet. "He told me he killed him Mand!" she shouted. "Do you have any idea what that did to me? He said Danny was dead and that everyone thought I had ran off with a lover and he….." emotion clogged her throat. "I can't leave him after that." her voice sounding strangled. "I need to be with him and tell him I love him no matter what!"

Mandy got up and wrapped Alice in a hug. "See, didn't I tell you all those years ago how hard you fell. Even now, almost fifteen years later its still this strong."

Alice buried her face in Mandy's shoulder. "I couldn't do anything Mandy, he had a camera on me all the time and if I refused he threatened to hurt the girls."

Mandy patted her back. "It's alright now, you're safe, he can't hurt you anymore."

"And Danny? What of him? I can't lose him Mandy, I can't, I won't cope!"

"Danny will wake up in his own time. The man had no idea of sticking to a schedule, remember all those holidays we all used to take? You used to tell him the flight was due two hours before take off so he wouldn't miss it. He will be fine, don't worry!"

"This isn't as simple as booking anther flight, what if I lose him Mandy? What if he never wakes up? I haven't had enough time with him yet, this isn't fair!"

And that it what was truly frightening for Mandy! She had known that somehow Alice would make it home but Danny not waking up? That was unthinkable because Alice would likely never recover. She would sink into a depression going over and over every time she left to make a film, or theatre or publicity bemoaning the lost time. They'd all lose Alice more effectively than Colin could ever do by locking her away, Danny was part of her now, without Danny there was no Alice. Alice had always loved too hard, no man had ever broke her before but Danny could and he didn't even have to try! "If anything bad happens, and I sat if because Danny always promised to never leave you, then you have your girls and they will need you more than ever, he's their dad too! And they will need their mother more than ever. I'm always here too Alice, we'll get through it somehow ok?"

Alice sat back down, closed her eyes and calmed her breathing thoughts of her girls bringing her right back down to the ground, still she couldn't escape the black thoughts which were plaguing her. Thoughts that said she should have ignored all the things she wanted and been content with everything she had, her life the way it had been hadn't been all that bad. "I knew I was being selfish you know." she finally admitted to Mandy, this secret one even Danny didn't know. She had carried this too long and now it refused to be kept inside.

Mandy's face twisted in confusion. "What?"

"I had a job I loved and I was financially secure by my mid twenties I had no debt and my own house, I had no worries, lots of friends and yet I still wasn't happy."

Mandy crossed her arms. "I wouldn't characterise it as exactly like that Ali, and you talk about worries? To me you had more than most!"

"How many people would have loved to be in my position?" she asked standing up again.

"Would they like the psychos and the users too? The people who stay around when you're big and drift away when you're not! You only wanted what millions of other people have, what everyone has the opportunity to have. A spouse who loves them and kids as crazy as their mother, how on earth can you call that selfish?"

"Yeah and because I'm Alice Collins.." she spat the name like it was contaminated "My child was kidnapped and tortured for more than half of her life and her father is in hospital and may die. How is that fair to them? That a decision I made before even meeting him and having them has had such a bad impact on them? I didn't marry Danny for him to be hurt and I definitely didn't have my kids for that either!"

"That isn't on you Alice, that is on the people who did the things to them. You are allowed to be who you are and do what you want without fear that someone will target you!"

"So that would have happened had I just been a vet then?" Alice challenged.

Mandy clenched her jaw, "It might…."

"Don't bullshit me Mandy!" Alice raged. "You know…."

"This Colin is someone from our past! Not someone who knew you on film, it might have happened so don't lay this on the fact that you're an actress!" Mandy starting to get angry that Alice was feeling sorry for herself.

"This is easy for you to say! You don't understand, you're allowed a normal life! Your kids aren't followed around by people trying to get a photograph, you can walk around in a street without people pointing, I can't even eat a meal without someone coming over and trying to get a picture! You can't turn it off! YOU'RE SAFE! You don't have to live like this or see what I see…."

Mandy's heart was pounding with anger? She didn't have to live with it? She didn't have to see it… "I FOUND HIM!" she shouted over Alice's rambling.

Alice was quiet at the rage she heard on her friends voice.

"You _think_ I don't understand!" Mandy hissed. "I found Danny!" she repeated. "Try NOT understanding that! I have seen it first hand! He's my family Alice, my brother!"

Alice's eyes widened, Mandy always stayed quiet when she ranted like this, letting her get it out of her system. She looked at her friend and saw the trauma in her eyes and finally had an inkling of what she herself went through. Mandy carried on though.

"He fell…yes Alice FELL through the surgery door unable to stand head covered in his own blood, so much it was dripping on the floor! The only way I knew his face from the back of his head was the buttons on his shirt which too was full of blood! You know what he said when I got there, all he could say was about you! YOU! He said you were gone, I mean here he is on the ground, I'm the only thing holding up, he probably doesn't even recognise me and he was more worried about YOU!" Mandy pushed her with her hand. "And now you stand there complaining about how you are going to go on without him? How about being strong for him?"

Mandy palmed her head in her hand, obscuring her face, breathing hard.

Alice said nothing, this time she went to Mandy and hugged her. Mandy didn't do outburts, she was more demonstrative, like with the snow balls, than vocal so for her to go off like this she must have been at the end of her tether for a long time.

"Alice I'm so sorry." Mandy murmured. "I shouldn't have said that, you've been through a lot recently, ignore me, I'm stressed out."

"You're my friend, the only one brave enough to even think about talking to me like that never mind pushing me!"

"Yeah, coz anyone else talking to you like that would be beheaded, if you cut my head off I'd keep talking." trying to joke but sounding miserable. "Plus I didn't push you….did I?"

Alice nodded,

Mandy made a face. "Sorry again."

"No, you're right." Alice told her. "I do need to stop obsessing about things beyond my control." ran her hand through her hair. "You found him then?" she enquired knowing Mandy needed this.

"We don't need to talk about it, go to him."

Alice shook her head. "You found him?"

Mandy knowing Alice wouldn't be deterred nodded. "You hadn't been in touch." she laughed without humour. "You know I actually thought things couldn't get any worse, I thought we'd get there and find you and Danny having some time alone working out how to explain everything to the girls. Then I passed the fence….." she shook her head. " I knew as soon as I drove past it something was wrong, it was too quiet. Then you and Lauren were gone and Danny was injured and….."

"What?" Alice coaxed.

"I had to carry a gun Alice and act like I wasn't terrified of it. Act like I could shoot someone. Then with the girls I had to stop them from doing things we would have done at their age just to get you back, they were trying to help and I had to act like I didn't want them to do this stuff even though I did, then watching Emma mess with their heads and being unable help or even to stop it….I missed my calling, I'm a better actor than you!"

Alice laughed softly. "Tell you what next film I'm in I'll get you a part. When all this is settled we'll have a proper talk, cry, break stuff, yell at each other, whatever we need to ok?"

"What, you me and a bottle of tequila?" Mandy asked.

"I'll bring the booze you bring the glasses." Alice promised. "But right now I have places to be. I need to do this Mand!"

Mandy nodded slowly, "I still wish you'd sleep."

"I'll be fine." Alice assured.

"Too tough for your own good, that's your problem." Mandy hugged her and Alice found herself strangely clinging to her. All too soon they parted and Mandy left her, the feeling of being alone hit Alice immediately and she didn't like it, she was starting to feel vulnerable so she picked up a towel and went to shower.

After finishing the shower and changing into a black halter neck jumper with her trademark skinny jeans she studied herself, most specifically her left hand. Something was missing, something some may consider small but Alice felt the loss, her wedding band and engagement ring were gone, Colin had taken them and had probably thrown them away like they were rubbish…..how dare he! The skin where they should be was paler than the rest of her hand and she stared at it, like her will could make the rings reappear, she had only ever taken them off before when she was playing a role in one of her films. She shook her head to dislodge the tears which were welling, chasing away the sadness and decided to go home and pick up Danny a few things. She exited the room and after checked on her girls one final time. Both were asleep, although Lily had climbed into Laurens bed with her, Alice kissed them both one final time then left the resort, collecting keys for one of Mandy's cars on the way out.

She arrived at Leopards Den in no time the moon shining high above her, as she sat in her car surveying the house it occurred to her that the old place looked different. Even at night when temperatures dropped it still felt colder than usual, like the house knew what happened and held an imprint. Never before had this house evoked such a feeling from her, and Alice didn't like it at all. Ignoring the feeling she climbed from the car and walked up the steps, the first thing she did when she reached the veranda was tear off the yellow tape which proclaimed the house a crime scene throwing it on the floor. The knob on the door was cold and when Alice tried to turn it she found it was locked. Damn! She hadn't thought of that possibility, she and Danny very rarely locked their doors, then again they had never really had a reason to in the past.

Exhaling heavily she made the trek down to the surgery to get the spare keys, proud of the fact that she was able to do this and not ignore it like she thought she would have to. To be honest she had thought she would never be able to step foot in that building again after what had happened but no, she could do this... but as she came to the door and reached for the handle she found her hand hesitating in mid air. Lauren and Danny had been both seriously hurt in there, the evidence of that would no doubt still be there! She looked back to the truck and knew that she could drive back to Mara and get the spare keys for her house from Mandy, she didn't have to go in there and see the proof of the pain her husband and child had to endure, she could call someone and get it cleaned and never know…..she had that choice now….or did she? She had to face so many things recently and maybe this was another one, maybe this was Gods way of making sure she was strong, maybe he was testing her to see how far she could go before she snapped. Ignoring things didn't mean they didn't happen, the reality of it was it did and if her family had to go through that then maybe she had to do this….so steeling her spine she walked in…..and found the place as pristine as ever, nothing out of place looking like nothing bad had ever happened here. Alice wanted to crumple to her knees and cry, "Oh Mand." she breathed. Mandy once again proving what a top friend she was. Alice owed her far more than just a simple bottle of tequila, as tears welled she again chased them away and walked into the office. Her heart plummeted when she saw a broken and bloodied Lauren on the floor, she blinked and the image was gone. Alice shivered though, it had been unnerving in its intensity.

Her shoulders slumped as doubts plagued her. Would she ever feel the same way again? Her once peaceful haven was again full of unhappy memories. While that thought ran circles in her mind she opened a cupboard and took out a set of keys, she saw something stuffed in the back. When she pulled it out she found it was an old shirt of Danny's. It felt soft against her skin and she pressed it against her face to inhale the scent, it took her back to better time. It smelled so normal, so safe that this time a few stray tears escaped from the banks she had built to hold them. He should still be here with her. None of this should have happened to them! Were they really such bad people that they deserved all this torment that they had to endure over and over again. After pressing her face into the soft cotton of his shirt once more she folded it up to take with her barely resisting the urge to wear it.

She walked back up to the house with purpose, this time ignoring the crime scene tape opened the lock and entered her home. The house looked no different to any other time she had came in, well except for the phone table which stood askew, courtesy of her final showdown with Emma, where Emma had proved once again that she had been five steps ahead leaving both her and Danny woefully inadequate. Had it not been for Colin Lauren would be dead right now, so in a way she felt a certain kind of gratitude…..but at the same time he was the one who hurt Danny so much so she hated him….she hated the man who saved her daughters life….she felt a headache beginning to form as the thoughts circled going round and round. They were killing her!

She entered her bedroom trying to escape the pain walking immediately to her wardrobe to gather some clothes for Danny as she opened the wardrobe it struck her how normal all this was, shouldn't the home be a mess? And things all topsy turvy, how can everything feel so normal when her life felt like it was coming apart at the seams. Shaking her head she gathered what toiletries he may need…..not that he had any use for them right now, but that wasn't the point, then she went to leave. As she turned the light off a shaft of moonlight spilled through the crack in the curtains and fell on the dresser making something shimmer and gleam. Her interest piqued she walked over and picked the item up, it was the necklace Danny bought her just before all this rubbish began. She turned it and reread the inscription although she already knew what it said, 'All our love forever, Lily, Lauren. Danny.' Alice swallowed hard, "All our love forever…..forever….. Our forever was supposed to be longer than this!" she whispered into the dark night. Sighing she bowed her head and put her necklace on, it was scary, it was like sometimes he knew, the most innocent of items brought her comfort…..and maybe soon things would be all she'd have left of him. The pain in her chest at this point was almost crippling and she had to remind herself to breathe. "Stop thinking like this Alice!" she ordered herself, " He's still here!" and with that thought she left taking her pain, her memories and her guilt with her. One thing she knew for sure though as she climbed into the car staring at the house in the dark, that if she lost Danny then she would NEVER step foot on this land again!

**A/N Alice hospital next chapter, dw you find out dannys fate soon!  
Sorry for being off the radar for so long but I lost the file with all my writing in including written chapters, ideas for future stories and all the rest of it! i was gutted! But I found it phew! on another note had ideas for another 3 fics so must get these ones finished AND believe it or not i have some opp att written and will be uploading soon, that one I have almost finished writing so keep a look out 2moz :D**


	38. Past and Present

Alice pulled up to the hospital whose lights were burning in the dark night, she stared at the building almost accusingly. It wasn't the buildings fault what happened to Danny, but he was in there and the doctors hadn't been able to wake him up…..and she needed him to wake up! She didn't want to have to go back to a time when she had to deal with everything by herself, ever since that first time he was there to help…..ironically in a hospital car park…..he had been on the sidelines or by her side when dealing with the hard side that came with being famous, even knowing her limit before she did, she couldn't go back to the time when she was stood alone…..and her girls, what of them? They needed their dad with them too! She closed her eyes, lowered her head resting it on the steering wheel, her hands gripping it tightly….her final thought at Leopards Den echoed through her mind

'If she lost Danny then she would NEVER step foot on this land again!'

* * *

_A car pulled up in front of a dilapidated building, shingles and tiles had fell from the roof and lay broken on the dusty ground, on the veranda rodents scurried here and there looking for food. A number of windows were broken the glass scattered everywhere and the door hung from its hinges sadly. The sun shone happy and bright, almost a reminder of happier times, but the house, this was a complete contrast, it was almost like the sun couldn't break through the grey cloud which hung over it._

_Two women climbed from the car, tall, slim wearing expensive looking sunglasses. Both wore white three quarters, the blond woman wore a pink t-shirt while dark haired wore lemon. They stood at the foot of the stairs looking up at the house._

_"Wasn't like this before huh?" Lauren asked pushing up her shades so they rested on her tousled blond hair._

_Lily didn't reply, just looked around at her former home wearily._

_"I didn't expect it to be different." Lauren added softly. Knowing this would be hurting Lily far more than her, it had been her home longer._

_"Mum said she was taking care of it." Lily spat venomously. "She promised us numerous times! I knew she wouldn't though!" Lily carried on, venting all the anger inside. "Dad left it to us in his will and she wanted nothing to do with it! She hates this place!"_

_"She doesn't hate it Lily, she loves it and dad and that is why she can't come back." Lauren told her calmly, the years since they left having mellowed her considerably, too bad the same couldn't be said for her twin. The anger which existed on the day their mother returned had only grew until that was the only emotion Lily showed, anger and bitterness. It was only Lauren who saw the softer more loving side of her sister and that was becoming less frequent now. Lauren was hoping coming here would give Lily a sense of closure, but if anything it was only making her worse._

_Lily looked at Lauren full of scepticism, "What?" she snapped._

_"Think about it Lils, she met dad here, fell in love with him, had us here but it was also the place where he was killed not only that but what happened to me too. Could you handle it with your husband and kid?"_

_"I don't know why you always stick up for her, you owe her nothing!" Lily hissed._

_Lauren grabbed her arm. "She is our mother and whether you like it or not she gave us life and has always been there for us, I can't believe you're still angry after all these years!"_

_Both sister looked in each others eyes, this a frequent argument between the two of them. Lauren released her not saying a word, Lily looked at her unblinking._

_"Shall we?" Lauren asked motioning towards the door._

_It was now Lily showed trepidation, "Is the solicitors sure the squatters are long gone?"_

_Lauren laughed, "I'll protect you."_

_Lily shrugged, "Lead the way."_

_When they were teens this would had precipitated a play fight until one of them, generally Lauren pinned Lily proving that she would be doing the protecting, then as they hit about 16 they grew out of that but still argued laughing heartily. Now at 20 Lily didn't argue or laugh anymore. It had all went down hill when they turned 15, but nothing had really been the same since the day they found out their dad had died._

_Lauren walked up the stairs slowly, when she pushed the front door it fell off the hinges landing with a thud. The dust which coated the floor flew up in a cloud and Lauren coughed wafting it away._

_Lily shook her head angrily, "This is taking care of our house huh? She must really love the place!" Lily muttered._

_Lauren ignored her entering the house, first and foremost she saw even more dust on the floors of the hallway, walls, everything really. Large footprints scattered around, as were little ones. Lauren felt a sense of melancholy, a family had lived here, like they had a long time ago. Had the family had fun here? They had raised little ones. And she and her sister who didn't even need the house had evicted them. Guilt filled her._

_"Don't feel bad Lauren, this wasn't their home, they shouldn't have been here." Lily said at her sisters unspoken thought._

_Lauren, used to their connection after they had honed it for almost ten years shrugged, "Its not ours either really, this is mums."_

_They were about half way down the hallway when without warning Lily felt a chill emanating from her sister fill her and they halted in the hallway at the same time. "I don't know if I want to go any further." Lauren whispered._

_Lily looked at her, this was always Laurens problem, pretending that everything was great until the very last second when she admitted that sometimes she couldn't handle things. This was just her way and being her twin she was used to it, but it drove others up the wall. Lauren wasn't as tough as she pretended to be, she needed someone to be there for her pretty much all the time. Lily patted her back, "We've talked about this Lauren, I mean you defied mum to do this." Lily didn't care whether Alice wanted her here or not but Lauren she cared Lily knew she did._

_"If she ever finds out…." Lauren trailed off shaking her head._

_She'll what exactly?" Lily spat. "Threaten me with boarding school again? Threaten to sell this place again? I'm not a kid anymore, she doesn't tell me what to do and I'm not scared of her either!" walked to a light switch and flicked it on and off a few times, deflated when it didn't work. "Don't know why but I expected it to be still working." she clenched her jaw harder turning her sadness into rage. "How could she lets dads house get like this? Anger simmering in her voice._

_"She lo….."_

_"WE LOVED HIM TOO!" Lily shouted pressing her fists into her eyes to stop the tears. "I don't care whether she loved him or not, WE are his blood, he's our dad and she just forgot that! And it wasn't fair that we lost both of them!" swallowed the emption. Lauren blinked and the indifferent Lily was back. "Then she and I started butting heads." Lily's voice icy cold "So excuse me if…."_

_"Lily…." Lauren interrupted before Lily went on a tangent, Lauren had heard it all before._

_"Lauren don't bother defending her!" Lily snapped. "My therapist has said it all! The therapist SHE made me see, I'm sure she told the stupid idiot what to say too, it was all your mum loves you, you need to let go of the rage! Yeah well I'd rather break her face ok so shut up!" Lily was breathing heavily. Ignoring her sister she began to head for her old room and passed a mirror which was cracked and broken. Lily stopped and stared at her reflection. She had a faint memory of looking in the mirror before school fluffing her hair and making sure her teeth were clean. It wasn't a happy memory, or even a sad one, just a normal child hood memory….after moving from here their childhood had been anything but normal. Their mother moved them to London and everything had went crazy, they had went from living in seclusion to having people following them daily. Their dad would never have let that happen…..her dad….she could feel him here, could hear him calling her name getting her up for school. Playing a racing game in the living room, she closed her eyes keeping hold of all the pain inside, when she opened them she saw her mother looking back at her. "I wish I looked like him." Lily told Lauren. "You do why can't I?"_

_"It was that reason why I was taken remember Lil's?" Lauren shouted from a room she'd entered._

_Lily ignored her searching her face for any trace of her dad but didn't see a thing._

_"I didn't have enough time with him Lil's." Lauren said carrying out a crumpled up picture of him from a box in her mums bedroom._

_Lily took it and studied it, he looked young on it, happy and carefree, smiling into the camera. "Where was this?"_

_"There's a little box full of them in the wardrobe in mums room. What do you know, polite squatters, they kept the pictures safe for us. It's not like we had anything from his, three months Lil's" Lauren whispered. "And I only called him dad about half of that time."Lily said nothing more knowing that words wouldn't help with the way Lauren felt._

_They started walking again and walked in the junction between the kitchen and the living room. When they saw their old living room Lily wanted to hit something. The room which had once been pristine and white was filthy. The sofa full of tears with the stuffing spilling out. The TV had been ripped from the wall and the study wasn't a study anymore, there was nothing left, no shelves, no desk or computer, it was just bare. The carpet was full of stains, brown yellow, every colour stain imaginable. The kitchen wasn't much better, spoiled food covered the counter tops and the place smelled of putrid rotten food._

_"How could she?" Lily raged stomping back down the hallway. She halted as their bedroom door was open. Toys littered the floor and a blanket was on the bed, there were pictures drew with crayons on the wall too. One of the pictures was of a tall dad and a small mum holding the hands of a small child. The grief Lily never let herself felt rose and she swallowed hard trying to force it back down, when it refused to leave she almost ran from the room slamming the door as she did, when out of the house she stopped on the veranda, rested her head on the railing which wobbled unsteadily incidentally made her feel worse. Lauren followed moments later holding two pink bears._

_"At least these are still here." she murmured holding one close._

_"You get your guitar?" Lily asked taking her bear from Lauren._

_Lauren glanced at her darkly, the Lauren of the past in her eyes, the old anger she thought she dealt with simmering quietly within her._

_"Oh Lauren." Lily whispered._

_"I should have came back for it." Lauren said coldly. "It's alright for you two, you had your memories of him, what did I have? All I wanted was the guitar he bought me." and she lashed out hitting the veranda support pole. She turned her back closed her eyes and began to slowly count backwards from 100, erasing the image of her guitar all splintered wood and snapped strings. By the time she hit 86 she was calm again._

_"At least now you are blaming the right person now Lauren, it was Alice who wouldn't let you come back here." Lily told her as Lauren turned._

_"It wasn't mums…."_

_"Oh shit man Lauren, do you have to do that?" when she saw how calm and controlled Lauren was._

_"What?"_

_"You were so much better when you were angry and riling mum up, now you love her! When she doesn't deserve it! Just look at the house! SHE did that!"_

_"Lily you need…."_

_Lily heard the change in her voice and cut her off. "Do you freaking dare start using your degree on me or I swear to God I'll have you!" Lily promised. "I mean its bad enough that you're in my head knowing what I'm thinking and worse than that know what I'm gonna do without you trying to do your shrink crap on my head too! Why couldn't you have been a rock star like you had planned? What happened to your bright pink hair and I don't give a damn attitude? Why did you have to calm down? You kicked ass, I wanted to be you back then! Now you're all tranquil." she snorted saying the last statement like an insult._

_"I grew up Lily, you should try it. You can't stay angry forever and you can't blame mum forever either, sooner or later you have to take responsibility for the choices you have made!"_

_"And what about her taking responsibility for the lies they told me my whole life?"_

_"Christ Lily are we back to that?" Lauren shouted losing her temper. "That was ten years ago, let it go! Oh and as for knowing what you are going to do it's a bloody good thing I do! Do you realise what would have happened to you if the person you hired managed to successfully get into prison and kill Emma? You have been sent down as an accessory!"_

_"I did that for you!" She hissed. "oh wait you didn't want me to, she's your mummy isn't she?"_

_Lauren moved lightning quick and had her pinned her against the wall arms pressed against her throat, Lily finally seeing the old Lauren in her face._

_"Don't speak to me like that again ok? I'm warning you!" the accent she had almost completely dropped clear in her voice._

_"You're not as passed it as you like to pretend you are, deep down you feel the same way as me, you just hide it better, don't lie I can read it all over your face. You hate mum as much as me!"_

_"Lily…." Lauren warned._

_"Go on!" Lily goaded, "I dare you to hit me! See how mum reacts to you kicking the crap out of your twin!"_

_Lauren narrowed her eyes and for a moment she considered it, at the last second though she released her twin and once again turned her back. Began to count down from 100, this time it took reaching 72 before she trusted herself not to grab Lily. "For your information I don't hate mum, I know what that feels like and how I feel for her is nothing like that! And two I stopped you because mum doesn't need to lose you too!" Lauren acting like her outburst hadn't happened._

_"You should have hit me." Lily told her. "Proven you are still the strong twin."_

_"Quoting Emma are we? Trying to get to me react that way? Grow up Lily before you lose me and mum!"_

_"Me lose mum? Not likely! Quite the opposite, she lost me at age fifteen when she sent me to boarding school for those three months." Lily laughed. "Didn't work though, I kept on running away and they expelled me, remember the scandal, Alice Collins rebel daughter! You should have done it too! Twice the fun!"_

_"You and mum are too alike, you look alike and have the same temper so you were always butting heads and arguing. The trouble making isn't the real me, you were right, as soon as I was settled in a new home, new school, met some friends and caught up in school I was just like I was as a kid, quiet, that is who I am, I didn't need the front anymore!"_

_"Yeah well I disagree I'm nothing like mum!" Lily snapped and was about to leave Lauren and head for the surgery when a car was making a slow trek towards the house._

_"Two guesses who this is." Lauren murmured. Both of their anger towards the other forgotten in a second the person in the car was gonna kick off._

_"Auntie Mand." they drawled in unison._

_"Mum would have phoned her…." Lauren started._

_"And she would have totally freaking out saying we shouldn't be here."_

_But they were both surprised when it wasn't their aunt in the car but their mum….and she looked irate. She leaned out of the window of her car which was open. "Get in the car, both of you!" she warned._

_Lauren looked torn, Lily looked belligerent._

_"We are getting out of here and going home."_

_"Look around Alice." Lily said gesturing around. "We ARE home."_

_Alice stiffened at Lily using her given name. "Home to London." Alice felt her temper fraying. "Look I'm not arguing about this with you again and especially not here!"_

_"Well go then!" Lily told her, anger bubbling pointing to the exit of the land. "You're not welcome here!"_

_"C'mon Lils calm down, we'll go to Auntie Mand's and talk about this…." Lauren told her softly._

_Lily ignored Lauren and continued to shout at their mum. "Squatters have been living here! You should see the state of this place! They even smashed Laurens guitar." shaking with the force of her anger._

_Alice closed her eyes a second, when she opened them she looked to Lauren. "I'm sorry Lauren."_

_Before Lauren could assure her mum that it was fine Lily cut her off._

_"Why didn't you let us come home?" Lily asked full of emotion. "Why let dads house end up like this?"_

_"I love your dad Lily…."_

_"WE DO TOO!" Lily yelled. "But we're here, it isn't hard!"_

_"C'mon Lily mum…." Lauren started. "We shouldn't be talking like this here." Lauren ever the peace maker who had been in the middle of their arguments for far too long trying to calm it down. Thing was Lily had never been the same since Emma had told her about their mums life before and Lily have never forgave her._

_"No Lauren, this isn't fair." Lily told her calmly and walked down the stairs._

_Alice thought she was coming in the car but horror filled her when she walked right passed it and headed for the surgery with long determined strides. Panic filled Alice, irrational and pure. "Stop moving Lily NOW!"_

_Lily turned back and Alice almost threw up, for the first time ever she saw her father in her face. It was the Danny from the past who hated her mere presence when she first came to stay here so long ago. Never before had Lily resembled her dad and pain filled her chest in the place her heart used to be._

_"How are you going to stop me?" her eyes flaring with a challenge. "C'mon then mummy." smirked darkly which made her look like Danny even more, so much so Alice had to look away._

_"Yeah I thought so." Lily replied. "I didn't do as I was told as a child, how much chance do you think you have of me doing it now?"_

_Alice got out of the car. "I mean it Lily!"_

_Lily laughed, "C'mon then!" and she turned. "Come and stop me!"_

_"Lily please don't do this!" Lauren begged._

_"You always take her side!" Lily snarled shaking. "But she needs to see this!" she strode towards her mum, grabbed her arm and began to pull her towards the surgery_

_"Lily what are you doing?" Lauren gasped._

_"Making our mother grow the hell up!"_

_"Lily stop it!" and Lauren ran towards them and grabbed her sisters arm, Lily wouldn't be deterred._

_Alice who had been momentarily shocked realised what Lily intended and began to yank and pull to free herself, she couldn't go in the surgery! It was the place Danny was hurt, it was the place Lauren was almost killed!_

_Even with both Lauren and Alice trying to stop Lily they reached the surgery, Lauren was unable to go there due to the bad memories and backed off. Lily however had no such problem, her face contorted as she put all her force into and threw Alice inside so hard Alice skidded across the floor and came to a stop in the middle of the room._

_"Look!" Lily demanded. Walked inside grabbed her mother by the collar and yanked her mother to her feet, "I said LOOK!"_

_Alice didn't want to but she found her eyes scanning the area, instinctively searching for Danny. Despair filled her when she saw pure destruction. Everything that had been made of glass lay broken, shards of glass littering the floor. The contents of the cupboards long gone, empty boxes everywhere. The operating table lay on its side, the machinery around it also gone, most likely sold. The pens had been torn down, cages open flies buzzing around. Alice bowed her head and closed her eyes unable to see it anymore._

_Lily screamed at her. "Look at what you did to dads dream! How can you claim to love him and let this happen! He'd HATE you for doing this and I do too. He'd never forgive you for doing this…NEVER..."_

Alice jerked back to wakefulness, she looked around realising she had been asleep, the moon still shone high and bright so she mustn't have been asleep long.

"Oh God." she groaned. Her voice gravely. Not only had the vividness of the dream unsettled her but how intense and real it felt had too. She was literally sweating and her heart was racing. She had just been sat in her car trying to get her bearings before going to see Danny and she fell asleep. That wasn't only stupid but dangerous, had she learned nothing from Emma and Colin? Thoughts of those two sobered her and she was wide awake in an instant. She rested her head against the back set of the car.

"What do I do?" she whispered into the darkness.

A forgotten memory surfaced a smile bloomed across her face as she remembered…..

_Alice and Danny lay face down on their bed sleep deprived as the girls were teething, it seemed one stopped crying ad the other on cue started. Both girls, for the moment, were being blessedly quiet and their parents were trying to catch up on some much needed sleep._

_"Why don't they tell you in the babies books that twins conspire against you?" Alice murmured. "I mean are they telepathic, they can't even talk yet but they know!"_

_Danny chuckled weary. "You know that they say about twins sweetheart."_

_She raised her head and looked at him eyes bleary. "Can I kill Mandy?"_

_"I'll help." he promised. "Just as soon as I'm not tired."_

_Alice rested her head back on the blanket, feet dangling off the end of their bed. "Wanna place a bet on who'll cry next?" Alice asked. "Loser gets up."_

_"My moneys on Lily." Danny told her. "Kids got 'tude."_

_"Tude?" Alice asked._

_"Attitude." he supplied._

_"Why not just say that?"_

_"Too tired." he yawned._

_She smiled, "So you think Lily?"_

_"Mmmm hmmm."_

_"Well I think it'll be like Lauren, she likes you to think its over and BAM!" she said wearily._

_"Loser gets up." he repeated and they quieted._

_Seconds ticked into minutes and they were beginning to drift off into a content sleep when a wailing filled the air. It wasn't only Lily or Lauren but both of them crying!_

_"It's like they knew." Danny said yawning._

_"Why can't babies be born with teeth?" Alice moaned getting up._

_Danny in his sleep deprived state was soon giggling manically. "Might have been painful for you!"_

_Alice smiled and he put his arm around her shoulders as they entered their daughters' pink bedroom. Both were lay in their cribs red faced and screaming._

_"Never resembled their mother more." Danny told Alice before he picked up Lauren. "There there baby girl, daddy's here." and kissed her forehead gently. Put his hand to her cheek and found it hot. "Tooth ache is horrible huh?" he crooned rocking her gently from side to side. "But guess what?" his voice now low and full of wonder. "When you get your big tootie pegs, like daddy's." he opened his mouth twice and bit down to show her. "You'll get to eat loads of lovely things like pizza and chocolate and crisps."_

_Lauren was quiet looking up at her father._

_"And if you stop crying daddy will buy you all the nice food you want."_

_He looked at his baby and found not only Lauren but Lily staring at him. He took Lily, now having a girl in each arm and then asked Alice, "Go grab the bonjela and the teething rings and I'll meet up in our room say, two minutes time?" he asked smiling._

_She walked off remembering the ease in which he had clamed their girls feeling so inadequate. Give her a script full of lines to recite, no bother, calm her own crying child and that was beyond her. After washing her hands she grabbed the teething rings from the fridge and the bonjela. Returned to their room and saw Danny telling their baby an exciting story about a giraffe named Wilf. She sat opposite him and rubbed the bonjela on their gums and handed each one a teething ring, picked up Lauren and lay her beside her, Lily beside Danny so the girls were in the middle of the bed. All was quiet as the girls gummed their teething rings._

_"What's on your mind sweetheart?" Danny asked softly, he knew her well enough to know when something was wrong, for being a world famous actress he could read her like a book!_

_"You're a natural." she told him running her finger down Lily's cheek._

_"A natural what?" he enquired. "And remember little ears." smiled at her._

_Alice felt her heart stutter at the sight of his smile._

_"C'mon sweetheart talk to me, you can tell me anything." ran a hand down her cheek._

_"You're a natural father." she told him. "And the girls adore you, they haven't really taken to me as much."_

_"What you think you're not a natural mother?" he asked his head popping up in the darkness._

_She shrugged. "I feel clueless about ninety percent of the time."_

_"That's about ten percent less than me." he laughed. "It'll all be ok. Teething only lasts a few weeks, we'll look back on this and laugh."_

_"You might, I'll kill you for persuading me to get pregnant!"_

_He laughed a little harder. "Need I remind you what you said about eighteen months ago. You told me that on our six month anniversary you planned to be six months pregnant!"_

_She snorted. "You didn't have to deliver on that you know! Trust you the one time you listen to me…."_

_"And yeah, the girls love me now. Just wait until the are teenagers, they're gonna hate me!" he told her._

_"Our girls could never hate you." her tone one of total seriousness._

_"And how do you know that?"_

_"Because they are part of me and no part of me will ever hate you." she told him meaning every word._

_He smiled at her brilliantly. He had to admit sometimes he did wonder whether this was real, whether she had fell for him, they had married and her two gorgeous kids were actually his too, it felt like a dream. But right here in the dark hearing here talk so low and honest he just knew it was true, love so intense filled him. He cleared his throat to clear the emotion that lodged their suddenly._

_"Sometimes I just feel like I don't know anything," she admitted unaware of how her words mnoved him. "What do I do?" she whispered into the darkness._

_Danny sat up and took both of her hands in his. "Be there." he told her eyes shining. "One day, actually not one but so many days there are going to be times when they need you, not me but you to pick them up, dry their tears and tell them that somehow everything is going to be alright." he cupped her cheek his eyes intent on hers. "You're a fantastic mum Alice and there isn't anyone else I could imagine as a mother to my kids, there's no one else I would want to. You're the only one I trust enough and you know that." he told her seriously. "So don't worry." his voice low and full of meaning. "Because I'm not. No matter what happens you'll sail through." he assured. "Probably threatening to kill me at least once along the way."_

_Alice smiled at him in the darkness, a few stray tears she tried to hold back beginning to fall, this was why she loved him, he was flawed and chaotic but she had never met a man who when he spoke from his heart spoke with such conviction and belief._

_"Please tell me those are happy tears!" he asked wiping them away with his thumb. _

_"They are." she croaked. "But I should kill you for making me cry!"_

_"Blah bah, its nothing I haven't heard before." and he leaned in slowly. She met him half way and they shared a soft tender kiss above their childrn.. When they broke apart they looked at their girls and found them sleeping soundly She glanced at Danny who when he looked at their children always held this look of awe and wonder and found him smiling._

_He moved the blanket gently making sure they were covered and lay down beside them, just drinking in their little faces._

_Alice lay down too, "You think we should…." she looked at him and found his face relaxed, he too asleep. And like he had watched their daughters she watched him, "I love you Daniel Trevanion." she whispered just as sleep claimed her._

Alice opened her eyes as the memory ended. "Don't worry I'm not." echoed through her memory. "They'll need their mother to tell them everything will be ok." she rubbed her eyes as she climbed out of the car. 'Don't worry I'm not.' she heard in her head once again.

Alice just looked to the sky, "Help me to sail through." she whispered walking into the hospital.

**A/N This chappie is a mix of past and a possible future, the good from Alice life and the very worst if Alice lets it go that far, lets say a warning for her. I also love the normalness of the second part, like she is a superstar yet there they are two parents struggling to get their babies to sleep  
****Its also a way of showing that lily and Lauren are 2 parts of the same whole, they are both capable of the same anger, rage and defiance difference is Lily never had a reason before now to start acting out. The lily part with alice in the surgery where she has hit her limit, you can almost feel her anger by that point, or i could anyway  
I am quite proud of this chapter, I don't often feel compeltely happy with what a write and put up but every so often i write a little gem and i think this is one, i just love it :)  
Thanks for reading more on danny next chapter x**

**(PS) fluff is for chloe, remeber out fluff deal...lol x**


	39. You Never Make Me Cry

Alice walked through the hospital dreading what she had to do next, it wasn't that she hadn't already seen Danny like this, she had just a few hours ago this time she knew what to expect. It was seeing him pale and bandaged and knowing that deep down it was her fault. Ok no it wasn't her who assaulted him but had she walked away from him like she intended at the start than he wouldn't have been in this situation, her little girl wouldn't have been hurt the way she had….it didn't matter how many times she was told this wasn't her doing it still didn't change a thing. She seemed to be cursed, her presence turning normal things into chaos.

As she approached Danny's room she smiled at the guard stood by the door. He nodded briskly. Entering the room Danny occupied she found a man sat reading a magazine. He looked up at her and his eyes widened. He sat up straighter and put the magazine down obviously recognising her. Even though she was dying inside she smiled at him warmly, the perks of being an actress.

"Mr Trevanion is fine, no change, they came in to change his bandage and check…." he babbled.

"Calm down." she told him softly as he continued to trip over his tongue. "I've spoke to his doctor so its fine. Thank you for sitting in here with him but I'm here now so you can go home."

The man nodded and bent down picking up his bag.

Don't ask her how but she knew he'd like an autograph but obviously didn't feel it was appropriate to ask. Since he had sat with her husband keeping him safe she decided to ask him. "Do you need me to sign anything for your employer? You know, telling him you've been here?"

He looked at her curiously and began to shake his head, Alice gave him a telling look which he slowly smiled at "Yeah, thanks," and pulled a pad out of his bag. She took it and opened it. 'You did a great job, thank you. Alice Collins.' and finished her scrawl. "Thanks again."

He took his pad smiling. "No thank you." she had made his day.

He left leaving her alone with Danny and she felt the façade melt away, she rubbed her eyes tiredly. Turning to see her husband caused her to feel like she aged ten years. She had hoped that he might look a little better than he did earlier but he hadn't changed, his face, deathly white even against the pale sheets. Alice wanted to scream and sob but knew if she started crying now she was likely to never stop, and there could be plenty of time in her future for crying. After pulling a chair closer to him she inhaled deeply expecting to smell his unique scent. Disappointment filled her when all she could smell was the antiseptic smell associated with hospitals. His hand lay on the bed unmoving and she picked it up and enveloped it in her two smaller ones. His knuckles were scratched and bruised and she wondered if he had put up a fight to save her...after a moment she pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles.

"Our girls are ok now, safe." she told him softly. "I know that is what the first thing you would want to know if you could actually speak to me so here I am, telling you." she closed her eyes her forehead rested against his hand. "Mandy has them….." for a moment she could hear his usual reply when the girls were at Mandy's, "No I didn't tell her to lay off the crazy around them so God knows what will happen when we….when I…." she exhaled a breath trying so hard to act normal when here he was unconscious. It was hard to pretend when you had no idea whether you would have your husband by your side the in the coming weeks, the coming days even!

Moving his hand from her forehead she opened the palm and laid it against her cheek trying to catch a fleeting memory. "I'm sorry I wasn't there." she murmured almost inaudibly. "When you were hurt. I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you, to tell you that you were going to be ok. It was the worst day of our lives and….." emotion filled her and she was quiet until it passed. "…..but Lauren….." Alice croaked. "She's fine now, somehow she pulled through, I'm still not sure how…..and the person who took her is in prison and the man who plagued our lives for so long is gone too so you can wake up now. I know you were just waiting for me….right?" she asked his prone body knowing that if he had any choice of waking up he would have been up and about the same day if his girls needed him. He wasn't like this by choice, he was like this because he couldn't bring himself around and the realisation if this caused a crushing feeling in her chest. "I need you to be safe Danny, they said you've been like this since I was taken and they told me subtly that they were concerned about your lack of response. That must be some dream you are having but you need to wake up now. We need you, all the danger is goner now, everyone who wants to hurt us is gone and we all need to work on going back to normal and you are my normal. Everything else in my life is crazy but you keep me here right on the ground. You can't give up now."

As silence filled the room she sighed, Danny never did make things easy for her, telling herself that Danny wasn't listening. Not that he actually couldn't hear…panic filled her then as she was reminded that he might not come back from this and he might actually leave her.….

"I know I'm not easy to love and you might thinks its better for you to go but you changed my life and I don't want to have to go on without you. Its like we both speak this language that no one else knows but us. You don't know this but you saved my life every day since the first time I came here so no! You can't decide to go now! I need you to still be here saving me. I'm not only losing my whole life if I lose you but one of my best friends, you're the only one I have to run to when everything is going crazy. I came here all those years ago not even realising this massive part of my life was missing and all that changed after teaching you to dance. " she lowered her head putting his hand down and palming her head. "I hate feeling like this, I hate being scared, don't you know how much I need you? I can barely even contemplate living without you so actually doing it is impossible!" she was quiet for a moment, her eyes closed, her fear momentarily over taking every good memory she had of her and Danny.

Sitting here in this room beside his still body she couldn't help but think that she should never have fallen for him, if she hadn't then she wouldn't be feeling like this. She could have found a way to have kids without him, she could have found other ways to have a full life. This pain was indescribable, his love could erase it in a second but it was so hard to feel it when he was lain unmoving….swift on the heels of that thought came the guilt, how could she EVER think that way about him? After all he had done for her….. Thoughts and arguments just kept circling round and round in her mind and she couldn't turn them off making her feel like her sanity was slowly trickling away. Minutes ticked by and the silence was beginning to get to Alice. Usually she and Danny relished quiet moments together but right now all the quiet did was remind her of the position Danny currently occupied. She knew Danny was in no position to talk so she started again, this time her thoughts on their life together.

"You're the better half of me you know, did I ever tell you that?" she murmured. "We've spent so much of our life together in the wrong place and all you ever did was try to make it right for me. You seemed to fight for me every step of the way always knowing when I was hitting my limit with the media or when I needed just five minutes in the house. I always wondered how you knew this when I didn't even know it myself, no one knows me like you do ands there is no one I trust like you. I know nothing lasts forever but you promised me that we would." she sighed. "No matter what though, I always love you, you healed my heart all those years ago."

Alice was trying so hard not to return to the negative feelings but her fear of losing him was clouding everything making her mind constantly return to what felt inevitable, her losing him far sooner than she thought. It shouldn't be so hard for her to find the words to tell him what he meant, it shouldn't be so hard to find the words that would help him wake.

"Its funny you know I have everything I ever wanted now, our girls are finally totally safe, and the price I have to pay is losing you, where's the fairness in that?" she shook her head. "You can't let that happen, you have to get through this and prove to me that there is some fairness in this world. You have to continue to fight for me and our girls. Only I'm allowed to kill you!" her attempt at humour falling on deaf ears. The lack of a reply, sarky or otherwise making her angry. "You can't let anyone do that to you except me! I threatened you with it often enough so you have to pull through for that reason too!" the burst of anger throbbed within her for a moment, but when it ebbed the fear returned quickly bringing a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Tears filled her eyes and she felt them fall "You belong here with me." she whispered. "The rest of the world could disappear and I wouldn't care, all I want is to be able to lie with you again and hear our hearts beat in time. All our happy times are torturing me, all I can think of is the times where we drank wine on the porch while the sun set your arms around me so I didn't get cold and you swearing to me that you'd never leave. C'mon…." he voice cracking. "We still have the rest of our lives to live, you can't throw that away." finally allowing her heart to break. "I know your leaving me! I know it, everything feels different, I don't want to lose you and I can't say goodbye! This can't be the end of us!" she cried silent tears knowing that if he could hear her cry it would kill him not being able to comfort her.

She cried for an age, she cried until she had no tears left, she cried until her chest ached and her head pounded. She quieted finally only breaking the silence with heartfelt words, "Thank you." she whispered to him. "Thank you for always being there for me, when I needed you and for when I thought I didn't need you but really did. Nobody could hold us down could they?" a memory of him and her stood side by side filling her mind. "I know that every time I remember you'll be there, I just wish you were there in person. I love you Danny, always have and always will."

She rested her head on the bed close to his hand depression weighing heavy upon her, talking was supposed to make you feel better but it wasn't helping her, if anything it was making her feel worse.

"You've already made me cry once today." she whispered hating her life. "You've never made me cry before that." her gaze on a picture on the wall above Danny's bed. "Don't start now."

* * *

It seemed that what Alice said didn't make a difference to Danny as he remained in his coma for three long days. Alice tried to share her time between the girls and Danny but something had to give, she had next to no sleep in so long she was getting used to running on empty catching cat naps when she could and keeping going on coffee and sheer willpower. Mandy had even called in a doctor but Alice refused to see him saying that if she needed a doctor she would grab one for a five minute consultation at the hospital….which she would never do!

She was unaware of how worried her twins were about her, she had dark circles under eyes and she didn't really know the last time she ate a full meal grabbing a sandwich here and there. Eating meals made her feel sick, snack were the only thing she could seem to keep down at the moment.

The girls had been in to see their dad yesterday, Lauren had brought in her guitar and played for him while Lily talked about her horses and how they needed to make a date to go down there when he was better, it all felt half hearted like they were all pretending, waiting for the inevitable.

She was staying with Danny overnight tonight as last night she'd had a nightmare that he died and she hadn't been there. The dream had left her on edge, especially since when she checked her watch after that she had only been asleep an hour.

Right now she was sat looking at the moon from out of the window in Danny's room holding his hand tightly. The room was really quiet and warm and she found herself blinking tiredly. She began to doze her head still rested in her hand, she was dreaming about playing hopscotch on the roof of her old granddads shed when a noise yanked her from sleep.

The first thing she noticed when she opened her eyes was the bright sunlight which blinded her, a groan ripped from her. She sat up her stiff back protesting the movement, her mind off the reason she awoke….until she heard the noise again, it was a soft groan. She stood up quickly her chair toppling backwards. One of his fists was flexing and his face was contorted like he was in pain.

"Danny?" she asked. "Danny sweetheart?" her hand on his cheek. Her voice so wobbly she barely recognised it.

"Alice…." he moaned and frowned. "Is she safe….." turning his head.

"I'm here!" she told him quickly. "I'm totally fine and safe. So are our girls even Lauren, she's fine too! We're all fine!" she babbled knowing that he was going to ask about their girls.

He opened an eye peering at her.

She smiled even though tears were falling. "Hi." was the only word she could manage.

"You look like hell." he told her voice rough.

She closed her eyes and found herself laughing, "You don't look so hot yourself."

He nodded and sighed tiredly. "What happened?"

"We'll talk later."

He nodded knowing even in his drowsy state that what happened must be bad if she wasn't going to discuss it with him right away. "I'll take that desert island now." he murmured head pounding hard.

Alice smiled just relieved that he was awake and talking to her. "I'll look into it, make sure there are plenty of coconuts."

**A/N not totally happy with this chapter it feels all fragmented and doesn't flow, no matter what i try to do with it i can't make it better eugh!  
Anyway here we are danny is awake and Emma and Colin are locked away, all better now...we shall see! Keep reading!  
Almost finsihed writing Opp Att and should be finished writing this soon and then i can get a move on my next fic :D I have a few forming but there are two which i am dying to start, one called My Boy (which will probably have a new title) and one which is based right after the final ep which is currently untitled, I dreamt it up yesterday and i am so excited to start writing it :D  
Really busy tonight bt will try to get to your updates (if there are any :D) Thanks or reading :) x**


	40. The Stranger

Lily and Lauren were in Mara's tennis courts that day having a friendly game of tennis while they talked everything through. It was early and they passed the ball back and forth.

Lily looked around grinning, "Lurch wasn't that easy to lose was he?"

"Mand is gonna freak out when she found out we both went to the bathroom climbed out a window and then ran away when he wasn't looking!"

Lily shook her head as a ball whizzed passed her. "He was ruining all our fun! He's our guard not our keeper, all we wanted was five minutes peace."

Lauren shrugged hitting the next ball with precision when Lily shot it back. They lapsed into silence, the only sound the pounding of the ball on the rackets and footsteps skidding back and forth on the court.

"Hey Lauren, how come you know about mums stalker and stuff?" Lily asked impulsively.

"Honestly? I kind of blackmailed mum into it. It was that night where I was all emotional and stuff, she has scars you know I saw them." Lauren replied running to the edge of the court when Lily hit the ball with some force.

Lily knew she had scars but had never asked about them, they had just always been there. "I know, I saw them but didn't really notice them if you know what I mean. I'm not that observant!"

"Well with me and mum it was kind of I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours kind of thing." motioning to her uncovered arms and the scars which criss-cross them.

"Oh." Lily said and missed a shot. She pulled a ball from her pocket and bounced it on her racket.

"You're angry she told me and not you." Lauren stated crouching low ready for Lily's shot.

Lily considered her answer then bounced the ball and threw it high. "Yeah." she finally replied hitting the ball with some oomph. "I mean I deserve to know I had people in school telling me about how there had been a fire on my own land and I told them there hadn't been but they were right and I feel foolish!"

"It's not a nice story Lily, it's pretty horrific in parts, I mean it's a wonder mum and dad are even together at all! Mum even showed me a picture of the house after the fire and there is nothing left, calling it a blackened ruin is putting it lightly!"

"I understand that but did they really expect to keep this from me forever, all I have to do is google her name and I'd find it, is that what I have to do in future look on the news for stuff on mum and dad?"

"Now your going too far Lily, this isn't some small thing you know! Its not like lying about what your getting for Christmas and things, people died! Mum almost died, I understand why she kept it from you, and she only told me coz I made her!"

"Well I found out from EMMA! And it makes it worse that she knew and I didn't!" she shot back. "It would have been far better from mum and dad than her."

Lauren exhaled tapping the ball over the net. "Ok that isn't ideal. But you can't blame mum for wanting to protect you, had I not been taken we probably never would have been told!"

Lily made a face as she missed yet another shot from Lauren, she was already about 500-love! "I used to be the best at school at tennis, I see you'll be replacing that spot, I hate that you are beating me!" abruptly changing the subject, knowing for whatever reason Lauren would defend their mum to the hilt.

"Well I'm just the best!" Lauren grinned.

"I'll fight tooth and nail for the lead in the plays at school though I know how much of a good actress you are too!"

Lauren wiggled her eyebrows.

Lily walked to the edge of the court to collect the tennis balls for her serve and as she did she saw a man watching them intently. She bent down and his eyes followed her movement. "Hey Lauren." she called her sister over.

Laurens head shot up at her sisters words, a bad feeling shooting right through her, she saw the man watching them. The mans eyes still locked on Lily, she stood up straight and he followed her. Lily moved towards Lauren and still. Lily reached Lauren completely unnerved.

"Think he's some sort of weirdo?" Lauren whispered as he looked at them hands in his pockets. "He's not interested in me but you, its creepy." pushing tennis balls in the pockets of her shorts.

"But why is he staring at me?"

"Want me to sort him?" Lauren asked completely serious.

Lily looked at her and raised a eyebrow. "Violence is not the answer."

"It's a good alternative!" Lauren laughed. "I have a bat too and balls. Aiming for the face, hit one really hard then run like hell!"

Lily was ignoring Lauren staring at the man, he hadn't moved. "Think he's something to do with all the stalker business, I really look like mum!"

The words sobered Lauren erasing all the humour. "Have you got a phone to ring Auntie Mand?"

"No, we left them in our room so we could have some time alone remember? No one knows where we are, he could do anything!"

Lauren shook her head confidently, "There are two of us and one of him…." tone icy. "There is only one exit for the courts and he's at it so there is only one thing we can do we go out that way."

Lily looked at her wearily.

"He wants you right? We make sure he doesn't get you, if he goes for you I'll distract him and you run."

Lily gave her an incredulous look.

"What? I don't see you having any better ideas!"

"What you really expect me to leave you with a mad man? Really?"

Lauren looked at her. "I have more experience at it then you, Lily just do this, listen to me I can handle this…."

"Better than me?" Lily questioned.

"I wasn't going to say that!"

"Well you were thinking it."

"Lily I am only trying to help you! Do you really think I want to be in the position I was in with Emma again? But its better me than you, you're still normal and not messed up, trust me you don't want to be me!"

"I won't let him take you." Lily told her.

"I won't let him take you either." and they both turned in the direction the man stood and all three people watched each other.

"C'mon." Lily said. "We're being paranoid, he'll be fine, I'm sure of it."

But as they started moving he did too, in the same direction as them.

* * *

Mandy had been sat in her office all day, losing the will to live catching up on paperwork. She saw the guard who was supposed to be watching the terrible twins, as she thought of them, walk passed her office window. It took her a moment to realise, but as soon as she did she was on her feet and opening the window farther so she could speak to him. "Where are the girls?"

"They ran off and I've been trying to find them for the better part of an hour!" he growled.

Mandy swore, grabbed the radio from her desk and twisted it to a frequency. "Anyone know where Lily and Lauren Trevanion are tell me now."

When no reply was forthcoming she called a code red and strode out of her office. She was gonna strangle those girls when she found them!

* * *

Lily and Lauren approached the gate on the tennis courts, the man stood there already blocking their exit, his gaze never shifting from Lily. Lauren put her hand on her twins arm and halted her then stepped forward. Lily grabbed her arm.

"Divn't say a word, let iz handle this one yeah." Lauren told her pointedly putting on her accent.

Lily understood what she was doing and nodded.

Lauren walked on ahead, ensuring her accent was firmly in place she halted in front of the man and looked at him. "'Scuse iz but me n me sister need to gan somewhere and ya kinda blocking the way oot."

The man frowned at Lauren, "Are you from Newcastle?" his voice held a heavy Scottish accent.

"Aye, me accents mint izinit?"

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Do you live in Newcastle with your mum and dad?" the stranger questioned.

Lauren gave him a aloof look. "Divn't nah if ah shud be telling ya nowt, ya a stranger ya nah!"

"Your sister looks a lot like someone I used to know." and he peered at her intently.

Lauren laughed. "Yee fink she looks like that Alice Collins woman didn't ya? Happens aal the time. We wish! She's proper mint!"

"So you're not related then?"

"If ah was d'ya think ad have this well dodgy accent? Ya fink we'd be here alone? We'd have all sorts of guards an stuff…." that they had ran from, it had seemed like such a good idea at the time!

The man shrugged and moved aside, "Sorry to have bothered you."

Lauren motioned Lily across, Lauren exited but the stranger still stared at Lily as she passed. Before she could fully leave he put his hand on her arm halting her. "It really is uncanny, you even have the flecks of grey in your eyes she has, her mother had them too. I'd say your what? 13? Your taller than her but you could get that from your dad I suppose…." he said, almost like he was talking to himself.

Lauren immediately put herself between the stranger and her sister. "Look I really don't know who you are but take your hands off my sister right now ok?" her accent gone, green eyes hard and unblinking.

"So the accent was fake?" he asked looking at her seeing Alice in the expression on her face.

"The attitude isn't!" she retorted. "We can't be too careful, strange man watching two young girls isn't right is it!"

He smiled at them widely, "I can hear your mother in your voice, she spoke to me the same way many times when she was your age, allow me to introduce myself…."

At that moment Mandy rounded a corner and spotted them. "Lily, Lauren I've been looking everywhere for you, I was wor…." the man stood with them turned his head and Mandy physically paled. "What the….." she gasped. "Mr Collins?"

"Hello girls." the stranger simply said and straightened his back. "I'm your grandfather, your mothers father."

The girls just stared at him full of surprise and awe.

Mandy recovered in no time, stomped across and took a girl in each hand.

"Should my granddaughters really be unsupervised like this? Do you have any idea who their mother is?"

"Yeah I do and I know who YOU are too so stay away from them! You aren't a doting granddad!"

Alice's father peered at Mandy, "I knew I recognised you Amanda, the voice is a dead giveaway!"

She grimaced at the use of her full name, the look she shot at him full of disgust and loathing, "C'mon girls."

"But Auntie Mand is he…." Lauren started.

"….mums dad…." Lily finished scrutinising him, he did kind of look like her.

Alice's dad looked between the twins in shock the way Lily finished Laurens sentence.

Mandy remained quiet unable to lie but also answer truthfully.

Lily read it in her eyes though, "Something else she lied to me about!" Lily drawled shaking her head completely disgusted.

Rowans raised his eyebrows at her tone then looked at Mandy. "I wish to speak to my daughter."

"She's busy, I'll tell her I saw you when I find the time." Mandy spat.

"I have a right….."

Mandy dropped the girls hands. "You think you have rights to her?" she shouted. "Don't act like a doting parent Rowan you and I both know you aren't! I was there remember! What about the nights she came to my house covered in bruises and she lied about them, or to give you a specific example the night she did that TV commercial and you saw it on TV? Remember how my dad paid you a visit that night?"

Rowans face went bright red. "She was only fifteen she shouldn't…."

"And now everyone knows her." Mandy cut him off. "The girl who's father didn't care is loved all around the world! She has family, a husband and kids, a sister and nephews who are supportive of everything she does. She doesn't want or need you!"

Rowan had the grace to look ashamed when he heard her words but being ashamed meant nothing, Alice endured hell at his hands!

"Did you hit our mum?" Lily asked straightening her spine.

Lauren looked furious, she had went through the same sort of thing with Emma when she believed Emma was her mother, "Your own daughter?"

"I read about everything that has happened to her recently and I need to see her, she is my only child Amanda."

"NO! Now get off my land!" she ordered.

"You own all this? I thought Alice…."

"What you need an escort?" Mandy asked plucking the radio off her belt ignoring his words.

"Shouldn't it be Alice's choice if she wants to see me?" Rowan asked simply.

Mandy had turned the dial on the radio but she couldn't bring herself to get someone. She closed her eyes and shook her head. The girls watched the scene unfold with interest.

"She wants to see me doesn't she?" Rowan asked.

Mandy looked at him, this was Alice's problem, she loved too much and although this man treated her terribly and deserved nothing except a swift kick, Alice would give him a chance because she loved her dad. They didn't talk about him much, one of the few subjects Alice couldn't discuss with her, but she knew from the few times they did talk is that Alice would want this chance. Mandy stepped forward and took Rowan a little way away from the girls, she lowered her voice. "Alice might want to see you, MIGHT! And I'm warning you now treat her badly in ANY way and I have lions on this land and people I can pay to take you to them! She doesn't need hurt from you anymore." and with those words she walked away from him and turned the girls in the direction of the resort. "I'll sort you a room." she called to him. "Go to the reception." and she walked off with the girls.

When they were seated in the private living area Lauren asked the question which had burned inside her since they left Rowan. "What'd you say to him Auntie Mand?"

"I heard the word lion!" Lily told her.

Lauren clapped and laughed. "Brilliant! you're gonna feed him to a lion?"

"No idle threats from Auntie Mand!" Lily told her.

Lauren stared at her, "Remind me not to make you angry!"

Mandy was pressing buttons on her phone as the girls spoke about her. "Dammit, your mothers phone is turned off. He better stay out of sight until I tell her he's here. If she sees him unexpectedly she'll freak out. Oh and next time your out don't even think about running away from your guard ok!"

"Why? You gonna feed us to lions too?" Lauren asked.

"Don't tempt me child!"

**A/N oooooo so Alice's dad has turned up out of the blue hmmmmm, what could he possibly be here for? And the big question will mandy get to Alice before he sees her?  
Lily is still angry at her mother too...not good i tell you, is this the start of future Lily?  
this is really a transitional chappie, a bit of a filler too :) x**


	41. Back To Normal?

Alice pulled her truck into Mara and yawned rubbing her face. She had been at hospital for the last sixteen hours. Danny had all but ordered her out of the hospital when he found out. She hadn't wanted to leave him but knew she was no good to no one if she collapsed from exhaustion and to be completely honest she wasn't feeling too good at the moment, she'd had little rest over the last week and really needed some sleep.

Her phone had died while she was with Danny and in her tired state she couldn't remember Mandy's number so she had been unable to tell her girls the good news so here she was, at home. She was going to shower, eat something and let her girls knows that their father was fine. Not in that order of course! Then after that she was going to take her girls to see Danny.

She sat in her truck willing her body to move but it refused to acquiesce to her request. Danny was right, she needed a few hours of sleep before her body ceased to function! Biting back a yawn she managed to yank herself from her sitting position and made the trek towards the living area in Mara. As she walked through the door which joined the living area to the reception she heard her girls calling her name. She turned her head but continued walking and bumped into someone. She swivelled, "Sorr….." the single word was abruptly cut off when she saw the person she bumped into….but she couldn't be seeing this person he wasn't here, he was in Scotland hating her! The sight of him rendered her almost catatonic, her jaw slack as she stared at him. His hair was a little longer and a lot greyer but there was no mistaking him, the narrow eyes and puffy cheeks down to the vicious slant of his mouth which she was used to see snarling at her. She opened her mouth to speak but found that no sound emerged, she blinked a few times and when her vision didn't clear and the vision didn't disappear she found the use of her voice, "I must really need sleep if I'm hallucinating you!" she whispered.

Lily and Lauren reached her and each took one of her hands, almost like they were standing guard at her sides.

"Hello Alice." he told her softly.

Oh God her hallucination was talking to her!

Mandy seemed to come out of no where and motioned to a worker asking him to take Rowan to his room, "And if you need to lock him in to keep him there!" looked to the twins, "Girls go to the kitchen and get something to eat or something, your mum needs a minute."

The twins nodded and departed leaving their mother and aunt alone. Mandy took Alice to the living room and settled her down on the sofa, Mandy sat to her right, it was quiet in the room while Alice processed everything.

"Was he real?" Alice finally asked, voice hoarse. "I mean really real? Or am I crazy?" her head spinning.

"He arrived early this morning, I tried to ring you and warn you that he was here."

"My phones off, I forgot to charge it….." Alice breathed and put her head in her hand trying to understand why he was here. "He's saw my girls?"

"He found them when they were playing tennis, he recognised Lily. I tried to get rid of him but he….it has to be your choice if you want to see him, talk to him, feed him to a lion? Or whatever else."

"I don't know!" Alice yelped.

Mandy patted her back. "Hey, no one is saying you have to make that decision right now. But I should warn you I'll have to move him to the main house as we have bookings."

"I have huts at Leopards Den." Alice shook her head. "I have to get bsck there…."

"Erm no you have to stay here until everything dies down, you're safe here." rubbed her back.

"Thanks." Alice bowed her head. "I um…." she made a gesture of unknown looking bewildered. "I dunno, he just caught me off guard you know?"

"Scared the hell out of me too!" Mandy admitted. "Your dad always had that effect though."

"He still calling you Amanda?" Alice asked looking at her sideways.

Mandy rolled her eyes, "You ever think he'll stop? Anyway enough on him, how's Danny?"

"Oh God yeah!" Alice gasped. "He's awake and as bossy as usual, fussing over me."

"Really? Oh that's great news, the girls are gonna be over the moon." and it went without saying that their mother was too, there was a sparkle to her eyes that had been absent recently.

"I came home to tell the girls and then my dad was just there and my head sort of….." Alice made an exploding motion with her hands.

"I told him to stay in his room until I spoke to you, still ignoring people as usual!" Mandy muttered.

"I can't believe you actually expected him to listen." Alice smiled at her friend. "Anyway I need to find my girls."

"Stay here I'll get them for you."

Mandy got up but Alice stopped her. "Thank you Mand, for everything, you're a good friend."

Mandy shook her head. "I'm only going to get your girls."

Alice shook her head, "I mean everything, taking care of my girls when they had no one, not only that but I went to Leopards Den I found the surgery cleaned, you made sure Danny was protected and now all this stuff with my dad."

"Don't be daft!" Mandy laughed. "I'm your best friend, its what we do."

"Not quite." Alice murmured. "How many people's friends get kidnapped or have to clean up their nieces and brother in laws blood or….."

"Ok, so you make life interesting." Mandy's face was serious now, her voice low. "But seriously Alice, you're my best friend and I love you no one will ever have your back like I do."

Alice stood up and hugged her, "Likewise."

"Anyway…." Mandy began back to her bubbly self. "Best go get to the kitchen, if those girls are anything like we were as kids they'll be having chocolate spread on a bar of chocolate with …."

"Chocolate sprinkles!" Alice echoed Mandy. "We have to try that again!"

"I'll bring the chocolate you bring the sprinkles." Mandy told her then left the room.

Alice rested her head against the back of the sofa and closed her eyes trying to blank her mind of everything that had happened recently. She didn't even feel herself drift off into sleep. That is how Mandy found her, head lolling to the side breathing slow and deep.

"Mand…." Lauren began.

Mandy turned her hand and motioned them to be quiet. Then as the girls waited at the door she entered the room, lay Alice down covering her with a throw over, checked all the windows were locked then radioed someone to keep an eye on this room. What happened to Alice was known to the public which meant reporters were sniffing around trying to get the scoop. Mandy turned to the girls. "We'll let her sleep, you guys fancy a game of golf?"

"I've never played it." Lauren said.

Mandy grinned. "Well me, Lily, David, Davy and Cory will try to go easy on you!"

Lily merely cackled.

* * *

By the time Alice woke the room she occupied was dark, it felt like one minute she'd been waiting for her girls to arrive and now she was lain on a sofa looking at twilight casting it rays across the ceiling. As she lay getting her bearings she felt a sluggish feeling, her body, not used to so much sleep in once go was punishing her it seemed. She stretched her arms above her heard trying to give some relief to her cramped muscles her leg fell off the sofa hanging there limply, her arms followed suit and she lay there unable to move.

In a split second everything that happened recently rushed back in a flood of memories. She tried to order them but failed her head already feeling as cluttered as before she'd been asleep. You know what? Life was freaking crazy! And to make matters worse before she could even try to find some semblance of normality her dad shows up right out of the blue! The big question was why? On the day he had banished her he had vowed never to speak to her again and he hadn't, she'd been 18 and out in the world by herself. It had 25 years since that day so why now? What had changed? That much she had to find out and then she'd go from there. Her mind ran back to the time Danny followed her back to London and uncovered her biggest insecurity.

'He never told me he was proud of me once Danny and I needed him to!'

She rubbed her face wiping the sleep from her eyes, did she still want that assurance from her dad? And more so did she need it like she did back then? With Danny's constant love she was over most of her insecurities but sometimes, not often but occasionally she'd be caught off guard with a feeling and she felt like she needed….something.

Alice shook her head and sat up knowing that Danny was the ideal man to discuss this with, he knew what she was trying to say and managed to out it into words when she faltered. She smiled as relief filled her at being able to discuss things with Danny, he was the one person who knew her inside out, faults as well and still loved her.

She stood up, stretching again and made her way to find her family. She found them in the kitchen laughing. David was behind Mandy, his arms around her waist helping her to cut up what looked like salami, he was whispering in her ear and Mandy was smiling widely. It warmed her heart to see her friend so happy, if anyone deserved it, it was Mandy. Cory and Lily were stood in the corner of the kitchen up to their elbows in dough lost in conversation abut something and Lauren and Davy sat on the island in the middle grating cheese. The change in Lauren with the little boy was startling, she was gentle with him, he was sat on her knee, she held the grater and he had the cheese. After watching the scene for a little while she opened the door and walked inside. Everyone turned and stared at her quietly. Mandy's cheeks were flushed, the kids wide eyed. They were obviously waiting for her to make the first move so she smiled at them and turned to Mandy. "You two own an entire resort, can't you find one room? Tell you what I'll even pay for it." looked at Cory and Lily, "And I don't even have to ask what you two were talking about, horses!"

"What about me then mum?" Lauren asked grinning.

"If I know Davy he'll be talking to you about his dino cards collection." she entered the kitchen and ruffled his hair as she passed. "And if know my baby girl you'll be composing him a dinosaur song."

"Less of the baby thanks." Lauren drawled.

"But you are my baby." and kissed the top of her head.

"By twelve minutes!" Lily crowed.

Lauren narrowed her eyes. "You pushed me out of the way!" lifted Davy from her lap and sat him on the chair beside her.

All the people in the kitchen were laughing at that comment.

"They're as mad as you my friend." Mandy chuckled.

Alice merely smiled widely. "Anyway was I right?" she asked Lauren.

Lauren nodded. "I had problems finding a word to rhyme with Brontesaurus."

"How about uglysaurus." Lily piped up.

"Ha ha!" Lauren replied throwing cheese at Lily. "Oh and by the way we are twins you know and I know that I am the better looking one."

Lily snorted throwing dough at Lauren "You wish!"

Lauren ducked just in time and picked up more cheese.

"Girls!" Alice warned.

Lauren dropped her ammo, "Don't go to sleep tonight Lily, just a suggestion." and Lily returned to helping Davy with the cheese.

"And as for me and David." Mandy spoke up changing the subject, "This is payback for when we were at yours! Girls, your mum has something to say to you."

Lily and Lauren were again looking at Alice.

"You didn't tell them?" Alice asked her friend.

"It's your news." Mandy replied.

Alice nodded and turned to her twins. "Girls, your dad is awake."

Both of their faces lit up and they threw themselves at their mother hugging her tight. Alice pressed a kiss to both of their heads and noted that Lily had grew recently, she was slightly taller than her.

"You need to stop growing kiddo or you'll have to bend down when I kiss you."

"Blame dad." Lily murmured.

"Oh I do!" Alice laughed.

"When do we get to see him?" Lauren asked.

"I'll take you both tomorrow."

"But…."

"It's too late now but if he is awake when I get there I'll call so you can talk to him over the phone ok?"

"We'll be awake." Lily assured.

As Alice was hugging her daughters she glanced at Mandy and saw her expression change. Alice craned her head in the direction Mandy was looking and saw her dad watching her through the kitchen door.

At her look he opened the door. "I got lost." he said sheepishly. "I went out to watch the sunset and couldn't remember how to get back to my room, I must have taken a wrong turn."

"David….." Mandy requested.

"Mand it's ok, I'll take him." Alice looked to her daughters. "I'll come see you before I go to see your dad ok?" and ran a hand down both of their hair.

The twins nodded, Lauren lowered her voice. "If he's a prick to you let us know, we've been planning."

Alice laughed and hugged her girls once more, "That's why I love you both, as well as being my baby girls."

"MUM!" they breathed simultaneously.

* * *

Instead of taking her dad to his room like she intended to Alice found herself walking outside and standing by Mara's pool looking up at the moon. Her dad didn't say a word, he just followed her.

Alice crossed her arms, "So have you been?" she asked softly.

"Pretty good," he nodded. "I remarried fifteen years ago."

"Auntie Jean said when I visited her when I first came what's your wifes name?"

"Brenda, we have an eighteen year old son, Rowan Junior."

Alice nodded. Jean hadn't mentioned they had a son, she had a brother it seemed.

"We've told him about you." he went on. "He wants to meet you one day, if you want to."

Alice shrugged, "Maybe." walked away from her dad to a lounger and sat down. He followed sitting on one opposite her.

"Do you still see your Auntie Jean?" he asked.

"She died about eight years ago now but when I first moved here and got married she lived close to us, she had a little cottage on my land. She loved the girls."

"Your land?"

"Danny and I own a game reserve just East of here called Leopards Den."

Rowan nodded.

"Jean was always comparing the girls to my mum, it was nice because I don't really remember a lot. She always said Lauren was the most like mum was, quiet."

"Lauren is the blond one?"

Alice nodded.

"She must look like her dad, I can't see you in her."

Alice smiled and nodded again.

"The other girl, she looks so much like your mother."

"Lily." she told him "And she does, everyone says she resembles me but anyone who knew my mum knows different. Auntie Jean said so too."

"They have your attitude though. When I first saw them Lauren tried to protect Lily thinking I was going to hurt them. She put on a accent I found out and she told me the accent was fake but the attitude wasn't. They remind me so much of you at that age, both of them."

Alice released a laugh as she sighed.

"Can I meet their dad, your husband?"

"Danny isn't well in hospital and isn't up to visitors right now." and if her dad wasn't all he seemed she didn't want Danny getting wind of it, he'd hit the roof!

"Can I see a picture?"

Alice pulled her phone from her pocket and flicked through her images. Found one of her and Danny sat on the veranda. His arms around her waist as she lay back on him, both smiling happily in the camera. She handed it to her dad.

He looked at it, the first thing he noted was his daughters smile he'd never seen her so happy before…."Your Lauren is his double."

"She is." Alice murmured looking at the picture wondering whether she would ever feel like that at Leopards Den again. At the sour thought her eyes found Danny and she smiled as she looked at him, he'd make everything better, she just had to wait until he was here then this feeling inside her would disappear.

Rowan noticed her expression, "You look at him in a way your mum never looked at me." He remarked. "How long have you been married?"

"Just over thirteen years, almost fourteen. Our girls are two months shy of their thirteenth birthday."

"Both of them?"

"They're twins, Mandy had a hand in that believe it or not." Alice shook her head.

"So your husband…."

"Danny." Alice supplied.

"Danny? Sounds like a British name."

"He's originally from Bristol, he moved here in his early twenties."

"And he's an actor too?" the conversation flowing more freely now.

Alice laughed remembering the way he stammered when asked a question on camera in the past. When she went to premieres he did his very best to stand back and be invisible. "No, he's a vet, I am too."

Rowan frowned confused. "I thought you were an actress."

"Its my main trade now but I knew that I might need something to fall back on incase acting fell through."

"So you and Danny met on a course or something?"

"No, I came here to do a film at his game reserve and that's how we met."

He quieted. "I'll let you get to him then."

Alice nodded.

Rowan stood up. "I'm glad your happy Alice, you have a lovely family and you're a fantastic mother, your girls obviously adore you." he clasped his hands together. "I never expected you to get so big but you did and I'm…I'm proud of you."

Alice heard him say the words but found it didn't change anything for her. Had he said them before she married Danny she probably would have burst into tears but now? She felt nothing….and she had Danny to thank. She needed see him now. She needed to give Danny a big kiss and tell him that she loved him always. "I'll show you to your room, we can talk more tomorrow if you want, you can tell me more about Brenda and Rowan."

"We have a lot of catching up to do."

Alice nodded in agreement, "We do."

* * *

When Alice's dad was settled Alice asked Mandy if she wanted to see Danny. Mandy did but she didn't want to intrude on any time where they need to talk between the two of them. After lots of assurances from Alice that they had said all they needed to and more off they went. The first thing Mandy did when she saw Danny was awake was walk over and hug him. Danny who didn't remember anything about what happened was shocked. When Mandy finally released him she told him if he ever frightened her like that again the snow she used last time he angered her would be nothing compared to this time! When Mandy went to the ladies Alice quickly filled Danny in on how Mandy had found him covered in blood, then protected the girls even getting temporary custody in their absence how she'd been a star in sorting everything. When Mandy returned this time he hugged her, unable to thank her enough for all she'd done. Mandy simply nodded telling him not to mention it, they were family and she'd always be there for them no matter what.

After that everything went back to normal, Mandy and Danny fell back into their usual banter and Alice basked in it knowing how easily this may never have happened again….and again as she reminded herself an uneasy acid pooled her stomach. Everything was going back to normal! She reminded herself of this over and over again until she was sure it was tattooed on her brain. Even her dad hanging around wasn't going to lower her mood she warned herself sternly. What got her was she still didn't know why he was here and she hadn't really felt up to asking him when they spoke not wanting to fall into old arguments. It just wasn't like him to do something like this, usually his grudges outlasted even him! And he had been especially vehement about her, she had committed a cardinal sin, she had defied him. In her dads books that was enough to get you blacklisted for life, yet he had came to her, all the way to South Africa no less! She had to say she was a little suspicious. He'd show his hand though and that was why she refused to get close to him, she didn't have the best of track records with her dad so for that reason alone she was steering clear. She wasn't giving him the opportunity to hurt her again. The girls were seeming to enjoy their time with him and he'd no doubt regale them with stories from when she was little. Naturally her own upbringing would have been similar to Laurens. On the subject of her girls they didn't seem to be settling as quickly as she hoped. Hopefully though when they arrived at Leopards Den and they were hom….ho…she frowned when she struggled to think of Leopards Den as…..what the hell! Why couldn't she think of it as home anymore? She brushed the feeling off, when everything was settled the girls would be fine and when they were back at….when they were back there she would be back to normal too and home would be home again. She was sure of it!

**A/N alice can't refer to Leopards Den as home uh oh...i don't think she should be ignoring that feeling festering inside her, more on that next chapter, Alices behavior gets increasingly erratic! is she being paranoid about her dad too? is her holding back justified or will she push him away? And danny, will he notice how bad alice gets before she trips right over the edge? keep reading to find out the answers to these questions and more! Hope you enjoyed this chappie x**


	42. Limits

A week passed swiftly and Danny was able to go home, neither Alice or Mandy had informed him that Alice's dad was around. Alice, who had told Danny about what she went through with her dad had no idea how he would react.

At the moment she was packing his stuff in his bag while Danny brushed his teeth in the bathroom, she was lost in thought. She hadn't been able to return to Leopards Den since the day she went to get Danny some stuff, and the nightmares she had about the place getting more and more frequent, not to mention scary! She wasn't sleeping very well at all…..but that would get better when Danny was back with her. She'd be able to go back to Leopards Den when she had Danny by her side again. Colin, Alistair and Emma were all just a bad memory, they didn't live in the shadows she told herself as she zipped up his case. They weren't going to pop out and take everyone she loved away, they were safe! A week had passed….. Maybe she should tell...She shook her head conversing with herself, no point in telling Danny about this, he'd only worry about her and….

Danny came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Alice tense up momentarily then realised who it was and relaxed exhaling in relief.

"You ok sweetheart?" Danny murmured pressing a soft kiss to her cheek joining his hands over her stomach.

She shrugged leaning back into him, needing not only the closeness but the solace his hold provided, when she was in his arms it was so easy to forget that all this happened, that she almost lost …no she wasn't going there. She closed her eyes tight and blanked it all out.

Danny felt the tension within her and rubbed her arms. "Alice?"

She shook her head and although some of the tension drained he still felt a residual feeling. "Al…." he started to repeat.

"Can people change?" she asked interrupting him.

Danny was rubbing her arm rhythmically, "I haven't really thought about it, why do you ask?"

Crunch time….. "My dad is at Mara, he turned up a few days after I was saved, the day you woke up."

This time she felt him tense. Alice turned and saw his expression, the barely contained anger. "So he's been here a week and you haven't told me?"

Alice nodded. "And I don't think you should be angry at me you were….."

"You think I'm angry at you?" he asked shocked.

"Aren't you?" she asked defiantly.

"No." pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "I'm not angry at you at all, him on the other hand….."

Alice closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest.

"How do you feel about him being here?" he asked running a hand down her hair.

She looked up at him and he saw the war within her how to reply. "Well everything has been so upside down recently and now he's turned up and wants to get to know me and I have wanted this for so long and now he's here….."

He cupped her cheek, "And?"

"I could have died without making my peace with him. He could die, do I want that? Regret is an awful thing to live with, he's my dad you know?"

Danny rubbed his chin then nodded knowing what she was telling him. "Ok, I'll reign myself in, not for him, for you." kissed her forehead again. "But if he hurts you in any way…." not needing to finish the statement.

She smiled up at him. "My big macho Danny huh?"

Alice was being flippant, Danny wasn't. Alice has been through so much recently he was worried that any more may tip her right over the edge and he didn't want her hurt, she was too sensitive.

"He wants to meet you." Alice said without preamble.

"Does he? Does he also know that I know about what he did to you?" how in that last fight he almost broke her arm.

"He probably suspects I've told you, I've told him that we have no secrets and tell each other everything. To be honest I've avoided him as much as I could, I need you with me when I see him."

"No you don't, you're stronger than you know but I'm here for you." he picked up his bag from the bed and put his free arm around her waist. Then he remembered something Lily and Lauren had brought in for him. He went into the bed side drawer and withdrew two caps. "Which one do you think?" he asked Alice. "The red or the blue? The girls suggested them to hide the scar on my head," he smiled. "I could scare old ladies into a heart attack according to Lauren. Our daughter is such a charmer isn't she?"

Alice watched him as he scrutinised the caps. She didn't want him wearing one, she didn't want his face obscured…. He pulled on the blue one and it covered his eyes.

"How do I look?" he asked her.

She frowned at him. She needed to see his face, she didn't like not being able to see him, a disjointed voice began shouting in her head and she swallowed thickly.

He raised his eyes, "What? Do I look weird."

She shook her head, "Um, no…the blue one will go nicely with the shirt….but do you really need them?" her voice wobbling slightly.

Danny stared at her. "Alice are you ok honey?"

A smile bloomed across her face and she turned took the blue cap and popped it on his head. "There, very handome."

He studied her knowing a fake smile when he saw one.

"I'm fine." she told him. "Just a little tired."

"You sure?"

"Danny!"

"Ok!" He exhaled and nodded. "Anyway good choice with the cap, I liked this one too. Lauren wins actually, she said she would."

"Lily won't be happy." Alice murmured trying not to look at him.

"She said I was gonna look like Frankenstein's monster with my turban."

Alice walked on ahead ignoring Danny in the cap, trying to force Colin's voice out of head.

* * *

Rowan was on the phone in his room talking to his wife, he was sat on his bed looking out of a window. "No, I haven't been able to talk to her much, her husband is in hospital and she's stressed out. Plus she has her guard dog friend hovering and she doesn't trust me!"

He listened intently as his wife rattled on.

"Look I know but I can't force it can I? if she decides not to give me the time of day what can I do?"

There was a knock on his bedroom, "There someone here so I have to go, talk to you later." after saying his goodbyes to his wife he disconnected and opened the door. He saw Lily and Lauren stood there.

"Mum has text us to say dad is on his way home." Lauren said.

"Don't you want to meet him?" Lily finished.

Rowan nodded quickly and left his room. "What's your dad like?"

Lily and Lauren shared a look. "He's dad." they chorused.

Then Lauren spoke up, "Take it away Lil's, you know him better than me." and cursed her slip of the tongue when her granddad gave her a curious look. Lauren didn't quite trust him, the main reason being why hadn't Lily met him before now? He didn't feel right.

But before Rowan could question them on it Lily began to talk. "Dad is mums protector, anyone tries to hurt her and he has to go through him first. Its not often it works this time it did and almost killed him, that's how far he'd go, he actually die to keep her safe!"

"How did he get hurt?" Rowan asked.

"Well this man stalked mum and he tried to kidnap her and dad was there so someone bashed him three times over the head with a brick, see one time didn't keep him down apparently. That is why he was in hospital, he was in a coma for ages and they thought he was gonna die."

Lauren nodded.

"Dad is calmer than mum, well until something hurts him or worse hurts us or mum. I actually wonder what he'd do if someone made her cry. We were in the UK a few months ago and we were out and these people were trying to grab me and mum and dad actually punched this one man. He's been sued countless times by photographers trying to get pictures of us."

"When did the guy grab at you and mum?" Lauren asked as they came at a top at some seats.

"A day or two before we got you back." Lily told Lauren.

"What do you mean got Lauren back?" Rowan asked.

"She was kidnapped when she was five and taken away for seven years, hence the accent." Lily told him before Lauren could stop her. "It's less pronounced now thank god, am ganna kick ya heed in!"

"I don't sound like that!" Lauren retorted making a face at her.

"Not now, but before you did!"

"Anyway…." Lily was about to carry on when she heard someone call for her and Lauren from behind.

Their dad appeared and they both jumped up and ran to him, their granddad forgotten.

"Dad!"

Danny enveloped them both in a hug.

"You look loads better since last time I seen you!" Lily said.

"Sorry you couldn't come but the newspapers got wind of your mum being there and the whole place was a frenzy." he ran his hand down both of their cheeks. "I've missed you both so much." pressed a kiss to each of their heads. "And I'm just relieved that you are still here." he told Lauren, Alice having told him what happened.

Lauren smiled, "I'm kinda relieved too."

Danny raised his head and saw an older man watching them from across the way. He was sat on a sofa by a bush which shaded him slightly from the sun. Danny knew he was immediately, he could see Alice in his face.

"You met him yet?" Lily asked softly.

Danny shook his head. "I'll wait for your mum to introduce us." he frowned, "Careful what you say to him ok?"

"Why?" they chorused.

"Because people aren't always as they seem." was all he said, then he smiled at them. Taking both of his kids by an arm he led them to a chair away from Rowan. "Anyway how are you two? How's the horses?" he asked Lily. "And the guitar?"

Lily told her dad about how they were going to see if Rocky and Candy were able to stand each other so they could breed them and Lauren spoke about how she was tentatively starting to write songs. Danny listened asking questions throwing occasional glances to Rowan. Alice finally appeared after spending half an hour on the phone to her publicist trying to keep as much of this quiet as possible. She approached the kids and Danny but when Lily saw her Lily stopped talking, stood up and walked away. Alice rubbed her eyes tiredly and channelled her frustration into something else. "I need a new publicist!" she growled.

"Why?" Danny asked.

"Coz I just sacked mine coz she was doing my head in!"

"I think I'll go get Lily." Lauren said sensing her mum was stressed out, she jogged in the direction her sister went.

Danny stood up and embraced Alice. "Lily still angry then?"

Alice nodded. "Refusing to talk to me, still."

He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "We'll get there but there are other things, right now…" he cocked his head and she saw her dad.

She sighed and twined her fingers with his. "Lets go then." Alice led Danny across and they stopped in front of the seat Rowan occupied. He stood up and looked at Danny.

Danny kept his face neutral as Alice introduced them. "Dad, this is my husband Danny Trevanion."

Rowan extended his hand, Danny looked at it then at Rowan.

"Danny." Alice whispered, looking at him almost pleading.

At the request in her voice he raised his own hand and shook Rowans briefly, pulled the man closer to him. "I've heard about you." Danny told him quickly, eyes blazing. "Some good, some not so good . I can't do anything about the past but I'm here now…." he trailed off. "So I'm warning you, don't hurt her." Danny then released Rowans hand and stepped back. There was a tension in the air.

Alice was speechless, "Anyway, um…." she stammered.

"How about the five of us all go to Fatani's to have a drink?" Danny suggested. "Rowan?"

Rowan nodded completely mute. Alice put her arm through Danny's and they made their way to Lily and Lauren.

* * *

Lauren caught up with Lily, "Hey!" she said a question in the single word.

"I don't want to talk about it!" Lily told her.

"Isn't getting mum back what you wanted?"

Lily stopped walking and crossed her arms staring into the green bushes.

"Why are you acting like this?"

"They lied to me and all she'll do is try to justify it and if she does I think I'll snap, there is no justification for those kinds of lies!"

"Erm there is if its to keep you safe. They had already lost me Lily, they didn't want to lose you or scare you or anything else…." their parents appeared. Lily crossed her arms as Danny approached, Rowan and Alice staying in the background.

"We're going out to have a meal and a few drinks at Fatani's." Danny told them when he reached them. "Us and Rowan."

"You mean granddad?" Lily asked defiantly.

"He needs to earn that term." Danny replied. "You think just coz I made you that it made me your dad?" he shook his head. "Raising you, bringing you up, supporting you through the good and bad made me your dad."

"Do we have to go?" Lily asked.

"It would be nice for all of us to spend time as a family."

"We're a family who lies." Lily muttered.

"Not now Lil's." Lauren whispered. "Are we going then?" she asked with fake brightness.

"Lily give your mum a break or better still have a go at me, I lied to you too!" Danny told her.

And wasn't that the weirdest part of this, she felt no anger towards her dad, only her mum. Lily crossed her arms not really knowing why she felt so angry.

"Lils, c'mon for me." Danny asked softly.

Lily shook her head and exhaled. "Fine!" and she trudged on ahead of her dad. Lauren smiled at him and they walked towards her mum. When Lauren saw her mums posture she frowned.

"Dad is mum ok?" she whispered.

So she noticed it too, Danny mused. Alice was precariously close to the edge of all she handle and she was slowly getting closer by the minute it seemed. He had no idea how to help her. She was withholding from him, he knew it! This was slowly getting beyond him! Trying to find out he walked passed the twins and ignoring Rowan he took Alice gently by the arm. "You ready?" he asked smiling at her warmly.

Her strained expression immediately vanished, her happy façade slipping into its place. "Sure." her smile faltered when she saw the concern etched all over his face. He didn't say anything through and they headed for the trucks. Danny made sure they were a step behind everyone else.

"I'm ok." she whispered hearing his thoughts.

Danny put his arm around her shoulders. "Are you sweetheart." and kissed her forehead.

The gesture felt so normal, _was_ so normal, it was all she could take and tears filled her eyes. She pulled free from him, "I need to…." and waved somewhere walking off. "…call someone or something."

Danny looked between his girls and Alice. Faced Rowan. "Take the girls to Mandy please. She's in the main house, Alice needs me." he looked to the twins. "Don't go anywhere I'll be back soon. We need to talk." and he turned on his heel and followed Alice.

The girls looked to their granddad. "So girls, we were talking before about Lauren…."

Lauren remembered her dads warning. "I don't think we should…."

"Lauren was kidnapped off a beach when she was five…." Lily began. Then glanced at her twin who shot her daggers.

* * *

Danny quickly caught up with Alice he had jogged but came to an abrupt halt when he saw her. He put his hand over his mouth in shock. He had never seen her like this before, she usually found it easy to hide what she was feeling but her face was an open book. She was stood by an empty building, closed fist on her forehead eyes closed tightly trying to look composed, her chest physically heaving with the effort.

"Alice." he called and approached her slowly.

Panic flashed across her face when she realised he was so close and her face contorted even more with the effort of pretending to be fine. When she failed she lowered her fist and looked at him. Danny saw fragility and fatigue on her face.

"You….you need to go to the girls….I'm fine…" she told him, her voice filled with fake brightness, shaking slightly. "They need you…."

He came to a stop in front of her, "I'd say right now you need me more." his voice soft.

He saw emotion raw on her face, she bit her lip forcing it away. "I…I'm fine."

He cupped her face gently. "Sweetheart you should know by now that you don't have to hide from me, you can't."

"I'm…I'm not." she stammered throat growing tighter.

Danny didn't say a word, he simply wrapped his arms around her. Alice could smell his scent around her and she felt some of the panic leave her….as she inhaled deeply she found he still wore the scent forever associated with hospitals and for the first time ever she pulled herself free from him. She couldn't be reminded of that! Never ever! She took a step back from him.

"Alice?" Danny yelped, shocked at the way she moved, the sheer speed and force of it.

"Danny I'm fine!" she told him forcibly and turned to walk away from him.

Danny followed. "And what was that then? You pulled away from me! You've never done that before. I felt you soften and in the next second you were pulling away like I hurt you!"

Alice lowered her head and put her hand over it, she felt like her head was about to coming flying off her shoulders at speed, she walked through the resort and all she could hear was Danny saying these things and she needed him to be quiet….she didn't reply to his questions she just had to get away.

"Alice don't do this to us!" he told her as she walked faster away from him. "You don't have to do this by yourself."

"Don't I?" she spat back instinctively, clenched her teeth refusing to let all she was feeling leak through. She closed her eyes having no idea why she felt so much venom and why she was firing it at the only person who had stood by her through good and bad.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" he called sick of talking to her back, it hurt seeing her walking away from him instead of letting him help her.

"Nothing!" and she walked faster, seeing her goal in the distance.

Right, she was gonna look at him while they talked about this, he wasn't talking to the back of her head any longer. He took her arm gently from behind.

Alice felt someone grasping her arm, if she was thinking rationally she would have known it was Danny, she was in turmoil though and someone grabbed her from behind. Irrational fear filled her and she felt her palm fist and swing around. Danny ducked just in time before she impacted and took his head off.

Danny, still crouching, released her arm and stared at her open mouthed. Alice finally halted breathing hard, stared at her closed fist confused, shocked at herself. She then shook the hand, almost like she was throwing the fist away.

"What…." Danny began incredulous.

Alice cut him off, her voice low, her expression one he didn't recognise, "Don't grab me from behind again." she warned.

"Talk to me sweetheart, please, you aren't alone." he pleaded needing so badly to help her.

Alice was quiet a moment, every thought written over her face as they raced through her mind. Then she shook her head. "I can't talk about it!" her tone like venom. "I WAS alone, locked in a tiny box room which looked eerily like our bedroom at Leopards Den, a little home away from home!" voice sounding nothing like her own. "All the company I had was a masked voice telling me you were dead! Threatening out girls unless I did exactly as I was told!" she took a step towards him, her face deadly. "You kinda had to be there to understand!" she turned to leave expecting this time for him to let her go.

Danny though knew what she wanted and refused to give in. "This isn't over by a long shot!" he called speeding up to catch her once again.

**A/N I promised you erratic and Alice whoa! She almost hit him! Bless her she obviously has some sort of post traumatic stress disorder, danny though is going after her, can he help her or is she gonna lose it?  
And is Lauren right to be mistrustful of Rowan? We shall see...  
i really can't believe this fic is coming to its end there are only a handful of chappies left :( its been with me for so long! I feel quite sad :( x**


	43. Break Down

Lily, her grandfather and Lauren sat in the kitchen at Mara, Lily was telling him everything.

"Yeah, so we got Lauren back and she hated mum ad when I say hated I mean proper hate, like I'm going to kill you hate!" picked up her glass and sipped her drink.

Lauren glared at her twin her face malevolent. "O yeah Lily, don't leave anything out will you?" she spat.

"Why did you hate Alice?" Rowan asked Lauren.

When no reply was forthcoming he looked at Lily. Lauren stood up sharply daring her sister to keep talking. Lily took her warning and was quiet, picked up a cookie and snapped it half.

"C'mon kids, you can trust your old granddad!" he told them smiling.

Lily shrugged. "She doesn't want me to say, ask her, its her life." and gathered up the crumbs with her finger.

Rowan looked at Lauren, her expression was cold and unreadable. Lily he could gauge, looking so much like her mother he could read her like a book, Lauren looked nothing like Alice and was volatile too, she was unknown to him. One thing he did know was that she wasn't as quick to trust him as her sister. "What happened to you dear?" he asked in a grandfatherly tone.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked standing up from her seat and walking around the table to stand opposite him. "You ask a lot of questions."

"I'm trying to get to know you dear, you're my family."

Lauren straightened her back, "The only questions I hear are about stuff that happened in the past. Stuff mum wouldn't want getting out! And Auntie Mand, she doesn't trust you either she isn't often wrong."

Lily frowned in confusion.

"Amanda can't let go of the past, your mother trusts me!"

"She didn't tell me that!" Lauren spat. "And if mum does than so what! Its obvious she has been through a lot recently, she isn't thinking straight!"

"Your daughter dying right in front of you does that to you." Lily drawled staring at her plate and her pile of crumbs.

"SHUT UP!" Lauren shouted at Lily which made her jump. "Actually no, you know what Lily, tell him your whole freaking life story but keep me out of it alright!" and Lauren stomped from the kitchen.

Lily watched her sister go nibbled the cookie in her hand, when she finally looked at her grandfather he had a strange gleam in his eye, he looked almost excited about something.

"So Lily, keep talking, tell me all about Lauren. What happened to her when she was kidnapped, why did she want to hurt your mother so much? How did she die and how is she still here? Tell me it all and don't leave anything out!"

Her dad's word started echoing in her mind. 'People aren't always as they seem.' Lily shook her head at her grandfather, "I need to make sure Lauren is ok, maybe later."

Rowan nodded eagerly and chuckled to himself after Lily left, "I'm looking forward to it."

* * *

Mandy was in her office wearing headphones playing back a tape as she watched Danny follow Alice through the resort on her surveillance cameras. She saw her shout at him and gesture wildly and Mandy exhaled loudly. Why did Alice do this every time? Its like when something bad happens she reverted back to form pushing away the people who tried to help her. It was the same when Lauren was taken, when Alice wasn't mired in depression she spent her time spitting horrible words at anyone close to her. Danny had made her better then but as Mandy watched she saw not only the confusion but fear on Danny's face she was seriously worried this one may be beyond him! What Mandy didn't understand was _why _Alice she was pushing Danny away now. She had been scared stiff at the thought of losing him, almost unable to function going as far as almost making herself ill she'd been unable to leave his side. Now here he was safe and alive and she was refusing to let him help her.

"And you bloody need it!" she said to the image of her friend who had her hands over her ears not listening to her husband as he followed her. "I don't understand you Alice. But I'm gonna kill you when I get my hands on you. He is here exactly the way you wanted it and now you decide you don't want him? Fool woman!" as Mandy watched Danny refuse to give up on Alice she smiled, the best thing about Danny was how devoted he was to Alice, the man loved her to distraction and he would never let her get away especially when she was in pain and right now she was hurting badly. Luckily for Alice nothing would pry him for not even Alice herself, since the first time when she went back to London after she tricked him he wouldn't ever fall for that again... and words couldn't describe the relief Mandy felt at that.

There was suddenly a click on her headphones and she heard footsteps enter the room. She flicked her monitors off and sat listening intently. There was rustling and the hiss of a drinks can opening.

"Cmon Rowan, give it up, I know you're not here for the reason you claim!" Mandy whispered to herself. She had been listening for a couple of days now and although some of his calls were suspect she never got any real evidence for what he was here for.

The room was quiet and Mandy thought he was asleep until she heard his gruff voice. "Hello? Hi darling?"

Mandy made a face at the endearment.

He was silent for an age it seemed, but then started to speak, "Yes, I have made a lot of headway. One of the twins was very talkative today and I have a lot of back story, I would have had more if that other twin didn't make her shut up I'm gonna try and get the chatty one alone later. She'll tell me everything I write it down and then we get our cheque from the reporter…"

Mandy bowed her head as he outlined exactly what they were going to do with the money not even feeling an ounce of guilt at the deception he was perpetrating on his daughter.

"Oh and have your nephew ready, I thought Alice could speak to her brother tonight, if she wanted….." Rowan laughed. "She is so gullible!"

Mandy tore off the headphones unable to listen anymore. She was right, she bloody knew it! She felt no pleasure at her instinct being vindicated, this was going to break Alice's heart. Mandy put her head in her hands. This was the icing on the cake this! It was gonna tip Alice right over the edge, I mean she was barely hanging on as it is and this? To know her dad was willing to sell her life story.

She sat there considring how she was gonna tell Alice when something occured to her, she could deat with this herself, quietly and sweep it under the rug. Rowan up and leaving would be far better than Alice knowing that her dad had betrayed her in the worst possible manner. She stood up, shoulders heavy with the burden she went to her safe and removed her cheque book. She was gonna have make the asshole an offer he couldn't refuse and no double crossing her either, as she picked up the dictaphone. Whatever he was gonna do she was getting it in a verbal contract then a signed contract before the cheque cleared. When she had her tools in hand she went to Rowans room.

She was surprised to find it empty, she went on in the living room and found Rowan with Lily, he was sat beside her trying to coax her into talking about her parents and Lauren…

"So Lily your mum and dad how were they after Lauren was taken, did they ever split up or anything?"

"I was five I didn't notice stuff like that!" Lily told him. "I barely remembered Lauren."

"So you forgot your twin sister?" his eyes gleaming.

Lily shrugged, "No….."

"Lily leave us alone please." Mandy asked voice cold and hard putting a stop this this right now.

"But….."

Mandy shook her head, "Go do something with Lauren."

Lily made a face, "She is angry and refusing to talk to me!"

"Like her mother that girl!" Rowan said smiling at Lily. "But here, Lily is like my little Alice before she grew up and got moody." Rowan put his hands on Lily's shoulders proudly. Lily beamed eating it all, believing it all….

"Granddad has been telling me all about mum when she was little. He even said I could go over to Glasgow with him to visit my Nana Brenda. He understands me, understands what it is like."

Mandy crossed her arms, "Understands what exactly?"

"What its like to be treated different, you know mum walked away from him twenty five years ago and never got in touch, he only found out she was married and we were born in a magazine! Thats SO unfair, she couldn't even tell him about us!"

Mandy's eyes zeroed on Rowan, Alice had wrote to him telling him that she was getting married and then sent him pictures of his grandchildren on the day they were born. He hadn't been in touch. Rowan just smirked at her daring her to contradict him, he had Lily exactly where he wanted her. Mandy didn't want to destroy Lily's image of her perfect granddad, but knew she had to.

"Lily this man is playing on the face that you are angry with your mum, would you believe a word he said otherwise? I'm sorry Lily but he doesn't care about you and before you entertain any ideas about going to Glasgow don't bet on it kid coz even if your mum and dad did agree, which they never would, I'd step in before you had a chance to get on the plane." Mandy raised her voice. "Now go find your sister and make up with her - NOW!"

Lily looked mutinous but slowly left the room glaring at her aunt as she left. Mandy made sure she was gone and closed the door. She then walked across the room and sat opposite Rowan.

"I think I'll….." and he rose.

"Sit down Rowan now or I swear to God I'll put you down!" she warned. "And tempt me if you think I won't, I'm in no mood so go on, push it!"

Rowan considered a moment then made a defeated gesture and sat down.

"How much are you being paid?" she asked, she didn't have time to beat around the bush.

"What?" he asked playing dumb and innocent.

"How much is the magazine paying you for your story on Alice?"

Rowan raised an eyebrow.

"I had a microphone placed in your room." she smirked. "You think I ever trusted you?"

Rowan slouched back in his chair and stopped pretending. "Twenty grand."

Mandy was disgusted, "Twenty grand? You'll sell out your own child, your flesh and blood for twenty grand?"

"Alice hasn't been my child since she walked out twenty five years ago!"

"Walked out?" Mandy gasped. "You threw her out, she had no where to go! You told her to never comeback! Admit it, you're jealous! You expected her to have to come crawling back home begging for you to take her back but here she is happy with family around her who loves her!"

"And one daughter who wants to kill her and the other who can't stand the sight of her!" he retorted. "Lily told me all about it, about how she hates her!"

Mandy sat up straighter leaning in, "This family has been through a bad time and I refuse to let you cash in on that!" and she pulled out her chequebook. "I'm writing you a cheque for forty grand for you to leave here and never see Alice again!"

"Forty measly grand?" he spat. "For the information I have I can easily get double that! I could have then all bidding!" his eyes alight. "God knows how high they'll go for all the dirty details on perfect Alice Collins and her messed up family!"

Mandy clenched her fists. "No you won't see you will agree to this or before you walk out of this room I'll have Alice's publicist on the phone and have an injunction taken it against you meaning you can't sell a word of that stuff. You may have half a story but it'll be useless to you. Oh and don't kid yourself that Lily told you it all, there are only 3 people who know it all and that is Alice, Danny and me!" she gave him a dark look "Oh and her name is Alice Trevanion!"

"Why not just get the injunction anyway and save yourself some money?"

"Because unlike you I love Alice and I don't want any more rubbish piled on her. You're her father Rowan, how could you!"

Rowan sat considering her offer. "And if I do this what else do you want? How do you know I won't sell the story anyway?"

Mandy removed her dictaphone from her pocket. "Because I have this right here where we are going to outline a draft contract which you will agree to then when my solicitor has sorted the contract and you have signed it the cheque will clear in your bank account. It won't clear until I have the contract though!" she crossed her arms. "I don't see that you have anything else to consider."

Rowan was still silent looking for any loophole.

Mandy was in no mood to pander to him and if she wasn't doing this to protect her best friend she'd kick his ass all the way back to Glasgow. There was no way he was dictating this to her and she dialled her phone. "Fine, let me ring….."

"NO!" he yelped.

Mandy halted, "So we have an agreement then?"

"Forty grand?" he asked.

Mandy nodded stiffly. "You don't sell the story and you don't see Alice again!"

Rowan nodded, "That's fine with me." he stood up to approach her. Mandy wrote out a cheque, tore it out and placed it on the table. The terms were set and Rowan said what he had to into the dictaphone.

"Oh and one final thing, if the story does get out then the forty grand gets taken from you and donated to a charity of Alice's choice, so you best hope no one else gets wind of this!"

"How do I know you won't tell?"

"Because I'm paying you forty grand to keep quiet, it doesn't make sense for me to pay you then talk does it?"

"Maybe you want to….."

Mandy was on her feet looking him dead in the eye, "Go on finish that sentence, I dare you!" she warned. "You're Alice's dad not mine so I have no qualms about knocking you on your ass!"

Rowans eyes flared dangerously but he was silent.

"Don't insult me by saying I would ever betray my best friend, if I was going to sell my story I could have done it long before now. I'd never do that to Alice, I wouldn't put a price on her like that!"

And as Mandy finished saying that the door to the living room opened...

* * *

Alice walked through the resort trying to escape the pleading voice of her husband begging her to listen to him, to talk to him, to let him in, at one point she had her hands over her ears but his voice didn't let up. She wanted to scream at him to shut up, she wanted to fall into his arms and cry, she wanted to be able to talk to him again but most of all she wanted none of this to have happened. She wanted to rewind time to when the girls were five and NEVER go to London. She wanted to go back to expanding the surgery and having another child. She didn't want to be actress Alice Collins anymore, why couldn't she just be NORMAL! In a fit of rage she threw her phone into a bush and screamed.

"Alice Alice please!" Danny pleaded, she could hear the tears in his voice but they didn't register, it was like she was on another plane, different to the one Danny occupied.

She walked into Mandy's home area and went in search of her friend to throw Danny off the resort, anything to get him off her back when she heard her name said in the living room.

"_God knows how high they'll go for all the dirty details on perfect Alice Collins and her messed up family!"_

"Alice!" Danny told her eyes wild with fear after catching up. "You…."

"Ssshh!" she told him pressing her ear against the door. The words were muffled but she could make out the gist of it….and she didn't like what she was hearing. Her spirits sank lower when she heard the extent of her fathers betrayal and her best friend, her only friend in the whole world battled to save what was left of her privacy, she was even willing to pay her dad off so Alice would never have to know.

Alice had no idea why this felt so bad, no idea why she hadn't see this coming. Her dad had washed his hands of her a little while ago and it made no sense for him to go back on it, unless he had a motive and he did - money! Something inside her seemed to snap and all of a sudden she was floating above her body and had zero control over her actions, she turned the handle of the door and walked inside.

Danny watched Alice's demeanour slowly change, she had heard something big and Danny wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was. She looked defeated, nothing like the bubbly vibrant woman he knew. "Sweetheart?" he called trying to halt her.

She looked back at him, face devoid on all emotion. "Excuse me." her voice raspy and continued her walk into the living room..

* * *

Mandy stared open mouthed as Alice walked into the living room. She was watching her face for any change, Alice was far too calm to have heard anything right? She looked at Danny who shrugged but when she saw how scared his face was her stomach pooled with acid. She decided to intervene, "Alice your dad was just telling me that his wife rang, there has been an emergency and he is needed at home." Mandy looked at Rowan daring him to contradict her.

"It's ok Mandy." Alice told her, voice icy cold. "I know that he came here for a story so he could sell it. I'm fair game aren't I dad?" she spat.

If Danny hadn't been so concerned about Alice state of mind he would have lunged for Rowan, as it was his whole focus was on his wife who was far too calm!

"You've probably already got it sold huh? Always counting your chickens before they hatch! How did you know I'd talk? Then again you know me!" her voice full of derision. "I always was a pushover when it came to you, mum warned me you know, she told me to toughen up and care less about what you think!" she took a step forward her voice louder. "But what did I know? I was only a kid, how was I supposed to know what she meant?"

"Alice….." Danny began putting his arm around her shoulders.

She turned her head not seeing her husband but a stranger, "Shut up!" she roared at him and pushed his arm away with so much force Mandy's lamp fell on the floor and shattered at her feet.

"I know now thought dad!" she shouted looking at him again. "She knew what a cold malicious old man you would become! She knew how you'd use me one day!" she shook her head, "I'm a daughter but I have no father, I've never had a father!" she rubbed her forehead. "What am I worth to you then? How much am I worth? The forty grand Mandy is paying you to keep quiet? Or if I know Mandy she'll give you more to sweeten the deal! So that's its isn't it dad! What am I worth five grand? Ten?"

Rowan remained quiet as Mandy shot him a look in warning which was keep your mouth shut! She stepped in front of her friend.

Alice looked her in the eye. "Get out of my face!" she warned.

"Alice you need to clear your head."

"Clear…." she gasped, then put both hands on Mandy's shoulder and pushed her out of the way. Mandy flew across the room only stopping when she impacted the wall.

"Tell me how much I am worth!" she demanded taking another step closer to her dad. "Tell me now!" seconds ticked by and Mandy was on her feet. Danny had no idea what to do.

"NOW!" Alice yelled. "I deserve to know!"

"Twenty grand." Rowan admitted.

Mandy spewed curses and was on the balls of her feet ready to restrain Alice if she had to.

Alice didn't launch at her dad like they expected her to, there was a subtle change in her breathing. Mandy moved and saw her eyes shimmering. She shared a look with Danny who looked terrified for his wife. Mandy nodded at him to take her.

"Well I hope you and your forty grand will be very happy together." Alice's voice clipped, sounding tired. "Don't get in touch again, as far as I am concerned you are dead to me!"

This time Danny held her tightly and led her from the room.

Alice tried to turn and return but Danny didn't let her so she screamed. "And sell the story too! I don't care, prove what an awful father you are and have always been!"

Mandy escorted Rowan off her land while Danny took Alice to their room. She was strangly quiet, after displaying so much passion earlier. Danny didn't try to engage her in conversation, her face expressionless. When she reached their room she just walked over to the bed and lay down, she closed her eyes when he approached cutting herself off from him completely.

"Alice I'm going to check on Lily and Lauren ok?"

Alice didn't reply she lay there still and quiet, he didn't leave until Mandy came and sat with her, he was that worried about her state of mind. He was at a loss for what to do.

He found his daughters in their room, Lauren strumming her guitar while Lily sat sulking. Danny knocked then entered sitting by Lauren on her bed.

"Girls I need to know how much you have told Rowan."

"I said nothing." Lauren told him moving her fingers on the strings without strumming.

Lily again looked mutinous.

"Lil's?"

"I told him everything!" she told him defiantly.

"What?" he asked.

"Yeah!" she reported. "I did with him what you should have done with me!"

Danny rubbed his face ad ran his hands though his hair. "Well Lily now you could be seeing yourself all over the newspapers."

"What?" she frowned. "But he promised….."

"He came here looking for a story and now he has one he is going to sell it. He doesn't care about you or your mum. He is being paid for this, you'll never see him again!"

Lily paled.

Lauren out her guitar down, she wanted to rage at her sister but what was the point? The damage was done, "How's mum taking it?"

He was about to lie but Lily wanted the truth? She was going to get it! Honestly? I'm worried about her, she's had to put up with so much recently and…well lets say in fifteen years I have never seen her react like that. She looked right through me and threw your Auntie Mandy across a room!"

Lauren clapped a hand over her mouth.

Lily eyes were wide.

"So yeah, she's not in the right state of mind right now."

Lily was on her feet. "But she's gonna be ok?" her voice shaking.

Danny looked at her, "I don't know Lily."

Lauren bowed her head tears falling slowly. Danny out his arms around her shoulder.

Lily shook her head. "You're just doing this to scare me! Mum doesn't leave! Mum is always here, she's always ok!"

Danny shook his head and pressed a reassuring kiss to Laurens head. "This is the truth you want Lily, this is what it feels like. It's not always nice, its scary. Maybe now you might understand why we kept things from you. Take care of each other, I wish I could stay but I'm scared about your mum I need to get a doctor to check her over." and he left.

Lily's legs seemed to lose consistency and she collapsed onto her bed, mouth hanging open feeling ill.

* * *

Danny sat in his room opposite Mandy that night, against his better judgement Mandy had convinced him not to call a doctor for Alice. Simply because they ran the risk of him admitting her into psychiatric care. Danny had no idea what to do, he wanted to make her better but he also wanted to protect he privacy and if it got out that she was like this it would all hit the fan….it was so bad that they had kept the girls away when they came to visit their mum. Now, they just sat beside Alice's bed as she lay on her side, head pillowed on her hands eyes closed.

"She has to come out of this soon Mandy." Danny said softly. "That's means doctors!" he couldn't put this off much longer.

Mandy had been mulling over an idea for a while. "She needs to get out of here." she told him. "Out of the country, I'd say America or Canada. Take her to a log cabin, somewhere out of the way, out of the public eye, she needs peace and quiet, space."

"The girls…." he began.

"Take them too, hire them a tutor. Alice doesn't need to be here! It has just been one hit after another and it just keeps on going and going and going, she needs to heal. You all need to heal and as much as I love this place that isn't going to happen here, its all too raw."

Danny had to admit the idea had definate appeal, somewhere his wife and their girls could talk and relax and get everything out in the open without fear of reporters or people listening…. "There's stuff to sort."

Mandy smiled. "That's why I'm here. All you need is to sort of a plane get your passports and let me worry about everything else."

Danny was quiet a moment looking at his beautiful wife, insides burning at all she had been through, and the one person who never seemed to let her down offering once again to help in any way she could. "She's lucky to have you."

Mandy shook her head.

"No I'm serious." he nodded. "Its quite a relief to now that if anything happened to me that you'd be here picking up the pieces, not just for her but my girls too. Thank you."

"Danny you are family. It means being there through the good, the bad and the ugly, you all don't have to mention it. I love both of you and the girls." she grinned. "But I love Alice more than you."

"Mandy the one competitor I had for her heart was always you!"

Mandy looked at her friend and sighed not able to enjoy their banter. "Just take her away Danny, it hurts to see her like this. We've been friends for so long and I've been by her side for so many lows and nothing has ever done this to her….." she bowed her head. "….the strain she must have been under to get to this point must be inexplicable! She strong Danny so the amount of hurt….."

Danny ran his hand down Alice's cheek and even now she still remained still. "Can I borrow a laptop?"

She pulled an Ipad out of nowhere, "I've been thinking this through a couple of hours. Its for the best, the girls need some space and so does Alice."

Danny nodded and began searching on the internet for a private charter.

"I need you to promise one thing Danny." Mandy said softly.

Danny looked at her.

"Just bring her back." she murmured, a double meaning to her words.

**A/N a BIG chappie, lots going on, Alice has totally lost the plot, lost grip on reality but after everything which has happened later and all that ^^ can you really blame her?  
Big chapter for Lily too, learning a lesson on truth, will it make a difference?  
Danny and Mandy as loyal as ever, and her dad, eugh, enough said!  
This chapter was needed, Alice needed to fully break down before she could allow Danny to pick her up and she could heal and start fresh x**


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